Carrot Pepper – Live Plant | Rare Mennonite Heirloom Mild-Medium Heat

Smoky, Sweet & Carrot-Shaped — A 19th-Century Heirloom Worth Growing

Carrot Pepper (Capsicum annuum) is a rare Mennonite heirloom from Lancaster County, PA — long, narrow, carrot-shaped fruits with mild-to-medium heat (5,000–15,000 SHU) and a distinctively smoky, sweet flavor. Fruits ripen from pale green to brilliant orange-red. Compact bushes stay under 2.5 ft, making them excellent container candidates for patios and small gardens alike.

Plant Details

• Species: Capsicum annuum
• Heat Level: 5,000–15,000 SHU (mild-medium)
• Fruit: 3–3.5 in long, tapered, orange-red at maturity
• Plant Size: ~2.5 ft tall
• Days to Maturity: ~80 days from transplant
• Best For: Fresh eating, hot sauce, drying, containers
• Container Friendly: Yes – one plant per 18″ pot or 5-gallon container

Growing Tips

Plant in full sun with rich, well-draining soil. Amend the planting hole with a generous scoop of compost and feed with compost tea every 2–3 weeks for the first 6 weeks. Mulch the base with 1–2″ of compost to retain moisture. Container growers: use a 5-gallon pot per plant and keep indoors during cold snaps below 55°F.

Harvest Tips

Harvest with clean garden scissors when fruits reach full orange-red color. Frequent harvesting encourages new bud formation and extends the productive season.