VegetablePepper
Manganji Pepper
Manganji pepper is a Japanese heirloom that brings centuries of Kyoto tradition to your garden. This open-pollinated sweet pepper produces upright plants reaching 18-30 inches tall, loaded with mild peppers that clock in at a gentle 0-100 Scoville Heat Units. Ready to harvest in 80-89 days from transplant, it grows reliably across hardiness zones 4-13 and thrives in full sun, whether you're planting in garden beds, raised boxes, or greenhouses.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Growth Stats
30 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
30in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
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Highlights
One of Kyoto's designated traditional specialty vegetables, Manganji peppers carry hundreds of years of Japanese agricultural heritage in every seed. These heirloom peppers deliver genuine sweet flavor with virtually no heat, making them approachable for anyone who loves pepper flavor without the fire. The compact, upright growth habit fits gardens of any size, and the relatively quick 80-89 day maturation means you're harvesting well before the first frost.
Common Uses
The mild, sweet nature of Manganji peppers makes them wonderful for fresh eating, slicing into salads, or roasting whole until the skin blisters and the flesh becomes tender. Their gentle flavor appeals to cooks who appreciate pepper taste without heat, and their compact size makes them elegant for stuffing or serving as a vegetable side dish. The thin-walled fruit also dries well, concentrating the subtle sweetness into strips suitable for reconstituting in cooking or grinding into a mild pepper powder.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before your last spring frost, maintaining soil temperature around 70-80°F for consistent germination. Peppers are slow to sprout and benefit from bottom heat.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed and nighttime temperatures remain above 60°F. Harden off seedlings gradually over 7-10 days by exposing them to outdoor conditions in increasing increments.
Harvesting
Harvest peppers when they reach full size and develop their mature green color, typically 80-89 days after transplanting. Peppers can be harvested at any stage of color development, though waiting for full maturity ensures maximum flavor development. Cut peppers from the plant using sharp shears rather than pulling, to avoid damaging branches. Consistent harvesting encourages continued flower and fruit production throughout the season.
Pruning
Pinch off the terminal bud (growing tip) when transplants reach 6 inches tall to encourage branching and a bushier, more productive plant. Remove any diseased or damaged growth as it appears. Light pruning of lower branches can improve air circulation as plants mature.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum annuum
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
Native Status
L48 (NI)HI (I)PR (I)VI (I)
History & Origin
“Manganji peppers belong to the kyo yasai tradition, a classification for vegetables of Kyoto, Japan that have been cultivated for centuries. These are not new creations but rather living connections to Japanese agricultural heritage, preserved and grown through generations of farmers who recognized their value. The vegetables in this category represent some of Japan's oldest food crops, and Manganji's presence among them speaks to its cultural importance and reliable performance across countless seasons and growing conditions.”