Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry Sweet Pepper is a compact, ornamental pepper cultivar in the Solanaceae family that produces small, candy-colored fruits. Growing just 18-24 inches tall in zones 9-11, it matures in 70-75 days and brings striking visual appeal alongside genuine flavor. This variety thrives in full sun and moderate watering, reaching modest mature dimensions of 12-18 inches wide, making it well-suited to both garden beds and containers.
Full Sun
Moderate
9-11
24in H x 18in W
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High
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The name hints at its most distinctive feature: elongated, striped fruits that resemble candy canes in their red and cream coloring, paired with a chocolate-tinged foliage. Compact growth keeps the plant manageable while still producing abundant peppers, and the relatively quick maturation from transplant to harvest means you'll be picking within two and a half months. Its half-hardy nature lets gardeners in warm climates push the growing season earlier in spring or extend it into fall.
As both an edible pepper and an ornamental accent for the vegetable garden or patio container, Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry Sweet Pepper delivers dual purpose. The small cherry-sized fruits work well for fresh eating, adding visual drama to salads and platters, while their sweet flavor and compact size make them approachable for snacking straight from the plant.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your transplant date. Maintain a soil temperature of 70-90 degrees Fahrenheit for germination, which typically occurs at 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Sow seeds at a depth of 1/4 inch in moist seed-starting mix.
Transplant seedlings outdoors 2-4 weeks after your average last frost date, once daytime temperatures consistently reach 70 degrees Fahrenheit and nighttime temperatures stay above 55 degrees Fahrenheit. Space plants 24 inches apart in rows that are also 24 inches apart. In mild climates, this variety may also be sown in late summer for a fall or winter crop.
Peppers typically mature 70-75 days after transplanting. Harvest when fruits have developed their full candy-cane striped coloring and reach cherry pepper size. Use sharp pruning shears or scissors to cleanly sever peppers from the stem, leaving the plant intact to continue producing.
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