VegetablePepper
Gypsy Pepper
Sweet Pepper
Gypsy Pepper is an AAS-winning hybrid that brings sweet, mild flavor and reliable productivity to gardens across zones 4 through 13. These compact plants grow just 18 to 24 inches tall but produce abundant 4 to 5 inch peppers with zero heat, making them a gentle entry point for gardeners hesitant about spicy varieties. Reaching harvest in just 60 to 69 days from transplant, Gypsy delivers color and crunch quickly, whether you're growing in garden beds, raised boxes, or under glass.
Photo © True Leaf Market(https://www.trueleafmarket.com/products/pepper-sweet-gypsy-hybrid-seeds)
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam With Organic Matter
Preferred Temp70-85°F
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
PeriodAnnual
TypeBush
Spacing
18-24 inches apart
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
Annual
Care
Moderate
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
This hybrid earned its AAS award for a reason: it combines exceptional productivity with genuine ease of cultivation. The peppers themselves are a revelation for those seeking sweetness without complexity, thick-walled fruits that start pale green and mature to red, perfect for raw snacking, roasting, or stuffing. Compact upright growth means you can tuck multiple plants into tight spaces, and resistance to Tobacco Mosaic Virus removes a major pest worry that plagues many pepper varieties.
Common Uses
Fresh eating is where Gypsy shines, the sweet, mild flesh is excellent sliced raw for salads or served as crudités with dips. These peppers take beautifully to roasting whole, where their thin walls soften quickly and their subtle sweetness concentrates. They're also ideal for stuffing with grains or cheese, charring over flame, or adding to stir-fries where their flavor won't overpower delicate ingredients. Unlike hotter peppers, Gypsy works equally well in dishes where you want the pepper flavor to complement rather than dominate.
Growing Timeline
First Bloom
Late Spring
First Harvest
Early Summer
Last Harvest
Late Summer
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Start seeds indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Peppers germinate best in warmth around 75 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil consistently moist but not waterlogged, and provide bright light as soon as seedlings emerge to prevent leggy growth.
Transplant Outdoors
Transplant hardened-off seedlings outdoors after all danger of frost has passed and soil temperatures reach at least 60 degrees Fahrenheit, ideally closer to 65 to 70 degrees. Space plants 18 inches apart in rows 36 inches apart. These hybrids will establish quickly and begin producing flowers within weeks of transplanting.
Harvesting
Gypsy Peppers are ready to pick about 60 to 69 days after transplanting. Harvest them green if you prefer a fresher, slightly grassy flavor, or wait for them to turn red as they mature for maximum sweetness. The peppers will be 4 to 5 inches long and feel firm when ready. Cut or carefully snap peppers from the stem rather than yanking, which can damage branches. Continuous harvesting encourages more flower and fruit production throughout the growing season.
Pruning
The upright growth habit of Gypsy Pepper requires minimal pruning. Remove any dead or damaged stems, and consider pinching out the first flower cluster if you want to encourage bushier branching early in the season. Once flowering begins in earnest, let the plant focus energy on fruit production rather than excessive vegetative growth.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Edible
Soil pH Range
6 – 6.8
Scientific Classification
Piper longifolium Ruiz & Pav.
Family
Piperaceae
Genus
Piper
History & Origin
“Gypsy Pepper is sometimes called a Cubanelle type, though it stands as its own hybrid creation developed to bridge the gap between sweet peppers and traditional bell types. The hybrid was intentionally bred to combine favorable traits from both parents, the mildness and slender form that make Cubanelle peppers so beloved in Mediterranean and Caribbean cooking, paired with the vigor and disease tolerance that modern hybrid breeding can provide. This variety earned recognition from the All-America Selections program, a testament to its consistent performance across diverse growing regions.”