Candy Cane Red Pepper

Candy Cane Red is a sweet snack pepper valued for variegated leaves and striped fruit. The peppers begin green with pale stripes and mature to solid red, giving the plant ornamental interest as the crop ripens. ## Fruit and size The [PanAmerican Seed grower sheet](https://www.panamseed.com/utility/CultureSheetPDF.aspx?pagename=culture.aspx&txtphid=048300001026126&type=Veg) identifies Candy Cane Red F1 as Capsicum annuum and describes sweet flavor, thin walls, crisp texture, and variegated foliage. It lists 18–24 inches tall and 12–18 inches wide, with full sun and a summer bloom season. Product notes describe use in containers or in-ground, with or without support. [Holmes Seed Company](https://www.holmesseed.com/candy-cane-red-f1-untreated/) independently describes green-and-white foliage and striped fruit ripening red. ## Siting Plant in full sun in a container or vegetable bed. PanAmerican Seed gives 12–18 inches as spacing and reports green fruit in about 40–45 days and ripe fruit in 60–65 days under its grower schedule. Harvest at the striped green stage or wait for solid red color. For peppers generally, [Utah State University Extension](https://extension.usu.edu/yardandgarden/research/peppers-in-the-garden) recommends fertile, well-drained soil and deep, infrequent irrigation, and notes that peppers do poorly in heavy, wet soils. ## Maintenance Set plants out after frost danger has passed and keep soil evenly moist during fruit production. Use support if branches need help carrying a crop.