Arroz Con Pollo Sweet Pepper is a Cuban heirloom that looks deceptively like a fiery habanero but delivers pure, fruity flavor without any heat. Originating in eastern Cuba, this compact plant produces prolific yields of peppers that ripen from green to a gorgeous orange-red, perfect for harvesting at either stage. At 80-90 days to maturity, you'll have peppers ready to transform beans, rice, and stews with authentic Caribbean seasoning just two or three peppers at a time.
Full Sun
Moderate
?-?
?in H x ?in W
—
High
Hover over chart points for details
This pepper breaks the habanero mold entirely. While its shape and size mirror the notoriously hot variety, removing the seeds reveals nothing but delicious, sweet flavor with genuine Caribbean character. High-yielding plants thrive in compact spaces, making them efficient for small gardens. The versatility is striking: harvest orange for milder sweetness or wait for deep red for richer, more developed flavor.
Arroz Con Pollo Sweet Pepper shines as a seasoning pepper, sautéed with onion, garlic, and annatto to build the aromatic base for rice, beans, and stews. Two or three whole peppers simmered in a pot of beans infuse them with sweet, mellow flavor without overwhelming spice. The peppers can be used fresh in Cuban preparations, added to sofrito-style bases, or incorporated into beans and rice dishes where their subtle sweetness enhances rather than dominates.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors 7-14 days before your last spring frost date. Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in warm soil kept at 70-80°F for best germination. Transplant seedlings to larger pots once they develop true leaves, keeping them under grow lights or in a sunny window until ready to move outdoors.
Harden off seedlings over 7-10 days by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions. Transplant outdoors after your last frost date when soil has warmed to at least 60°F and daytime temperatures consistently reach 70°F or higher. Plant at the same depth they were growing in pots, spacing them 18 inches apart.
Begin harvesting when peppers reach full size and have turned orange, typically around 80-90 days from transplant. For deeper, more developed flavor, allow peppers to fully ripen to red. Cut peppers from the plant with pruners rather than pulling to avoid damaging branches. Regular harvesting encourages continued flowering and higher total yields throughout the season.
Pruning is minimal for this compact variety. Pinch back the growing tip when seedlings are 6 inches tall to encourage branching and bushier growth. Remove any dead, diseased, or crossing branches to improve air circulation and light penetration.
Enter your ZIP code to see a personalized growing calendar for this plant.
“Arroz Con Pollo Sweet Pepper emerged from eastern Cuba, where it earned its place in home kitchens as an essential seasoning pepper. Unlike the aggressive heat profile of its habanero lookalike, this variety was selected and preserved specifically for its lack of capsaicin and its ability to deliver complex flavor to traditional rice and bean dishes. The variety represents a cultural adaptation: Cuban cooks needed a pepper with habanero's vigor and productivity but without the heat that would overpower delicate preparations. It survives as a perennial in frost-free zones, suggesting its roots run deep in tropical Caribbean agriculture.”