Banana pepper

Sun

Full sun, ideally at least 6-8 hours daily; light afternoon shade can help in very hot Australian and southern US gardens.

Water

Keep the root zone evenly moist but not waterlogged. Water deeply when the surface begins to dry, checking containers daily in hot weather.

Soil

Fertile, well-drained soil enriched with compost, ideally pH 6.0-7.0.

Height

1.5-2.5 ft (0.45-0.75 m)

Spread

1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m)

Flowers

Small white flowers from late spring or summer until cold weather.

Foliage

Smooth, pointed, medium- to dark-green leaves on branching stems.

Growth

Fast in warm weather; slow in cool soil.

Care needed

Medium

• Pollinators
• Low allergen
• Edible

Northern hemisphere months. In Australia, shift them by six.

Difficulty

Moderate

Toughness

Fairly tough

Pick your zone, country, light and whether you have pets.

1. Planting day

   0.5 ft (0.15 m)

2. After 1 year

   2 ft (0.6 m)

   full size

Full size in one season.

From a typical nursery size, at an average rate for this kind of plant. A rule of thumb, not a forecast.

Cats and dogs

Safe

Native to

the US

Growth rate

Moderate

• Plant outside after frost danger has passed, when nights are consistently above 12°C (54°F) and the soil has warmed.
• Space plants 1-1.5 ft (0.3-0.45 m) apart, or grow one plant in a container holding at least 15-20 litres.
• Water at soil level and avoid repeated drying out, especially during flowering and fruit development.
• Feed container plants with a balanced tomato or vegetable fertiliser at the label rate once fruit begins to set; avoid excessive nitrogen.
• Mulch after the soil warms, leaving a small gap around the stem.
• Use a short stake or small cage if fruit-laden branches begin to lean.

Pruning. Routine pruning is unnecessary; remove damaged or diseased growth with clean scissors. Near the end of the warm season, remove new flowers if you want the plant to concentrate on existing fruit.

Pick firm, glossy, pale-yellow peppers when they are about 6-7 in (15-18 cm) long, often around 60-75 days after transplanting in warm conditions. Leave some to turn orange or red for a sweeter flavour, and cut each fruit off with scissors or secateurs rather than pulling it.

Late winter

Sow indoors 8-10 weeks before your expected outdoor planting date; provide bright light and germination warmth around 24-29°C (75-84°F).

Spring

Pot seedlings on when their roots fill the starter pots, keeping them warm and in strong light.

Late spring

Harden plants off gradually, then plant outside after frost danger has passed and nights are warm.

Early summer

Mulch warm soil, add supports and begin regular checks for aphids.

Summer

Water consistently, feed container plants and harvest regularly as peppers reach usable size.

Autumn

Pick remaining usable fruit before frost; remove spent plants and discard diseased material.

• Plant in orderly rows in a potager, where pale-yellow fruits stand out against green foliage.
• Grow in large patio containers beside basil and parsley for convenient kitchen harvesting.
• Use in raised vegetable beds with low-growing lettuce around the edges, keeping the pepper's base uncrowded.
• Mix with compact marigolds in an edible border for contrasting flower and fruit colour.

Garden styles it suits: Potager (kitchen garden), Edible landscape, Homestead, Small-space, Modern courtyard and Family-friendly.

Plant it with: Basil, Parsley, Lettuce, French marigold and Sweet alyssum.

Wildlife: Flowers attract some bees, although peppers are self-fertile. Birds and small mammals may occasionally damage ripe fruit.

• Aphids distort young shoots: wash small colonies off with water; use insecticidal soap labelled for edible crops if needed.
• Red spider mites cause fine stippling and webbing, especially under cover: inspect leaf undersides, avoid drought stress and use suitable biological controls or labelled treatments.
• Blossom-end rot causes a dark, sunken patch at the fruit tip: keep watering consistent and avoid root damage; calcium supplements are not a routine cure.
• Poor fruit set occurs in cold weather or extreme heat: wait for milder conditions, ventilate greenhouses and provide light shade during severe heat.

The sweet fruits are edible and are not known to be toxic to people, cats, dogs or horses in ordinary food amounts, although large amounts may upset an animal's stomach. Leaves and stems are not food; their safety for pets and horses is less well established, so prevent chewing. Unexpectedly hot fruit can irritate the mouth, eyes and skin.

• Hungarian wax pepper (Capsicum annuum, Hungarian wax types)

  Its pale-yellow, tapered fruits can look almost identical but are often much hotter. Appearance alone is unreliable; check the seed packet or plant label.

• Cubanelle pepper (Capsicum annuum, Cubanelle types)

  Fruits are generally broader, more irregular and more noticeably lobed or wrinkled than the slender, relatively smooth fruits of 'Sweet Banana'.

The name 'Sweet Banana' refers to the fruit's mild flavour and its pale-yellow colour and curved, banana-like shape.

Propagation. Sow seed indoors with warmth in late winter or early spring. Seed saved from fully ripe red fruit may not come true if nearby pepper varieties cross-pollinated; buy seed labelled 'Sweet Banana' for dependable results.

Accepted botanical name

Capsicum annuum

In the US and Canada

Native in the lower 48 states. Introduced in Hawaii, the lower 48 states, Navassa Island, Pacific Basin, Puerto Rico and US Virgin Islands.

Native range

Guatemala, Mexico Central, Mexico Gulf, Mexico Northeast, Mexico Northwest, Mexico Southeast, Mexico Southwest, Bahamas, Belize, Bolivia, Brazil North and Brazil Northeast.

Measured

Average height 60 cm.

Sources: GBIF (CC BY 4.0), USDA PLANTS and Trefle (CC BY 4.0). The care and design notes are LandscapeGPT's own.