Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry

Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry is a modern United States Capsicum annuum hybrid created by PanAmerican Seed and released as a distinctive mini bell type within the company’s Handpicked Selection. It was introduced in 2021 and quickly stood out for combining edible sweet fruit with strongly ornamental plant features, especially the variegated foliage and striped pods. The variety also gained wider public attention after being featured in 2021 at the Chicago Botanic Garden and later receiving a 2022 Green Thumb Award from the National Garden Bureau.

The plant is upright and compact to medium in size, generally growing about 45.5 to 60.0 cm tall and about 30.0 to 45.5 cm wide. Its foliage is one of its defining traits, with green and white variegation that becomes stronger as the plant matures. The fruit is a small mini bell type, usually about 9 to 10 cm long and 6 to 7 cm wide, with a blocky to slightly elongated shape, distinct lobing, smooth glossy skin, and a crisp texture. Individual fruits are commonly listed at about 99 to 128 g.

The ripening pattern is the feature that gives the variety its name. Immature pods are green with creamy white striping, then mature into a mix of chocolate and cherry red while retaining a striped, multicoloured appearance. The foliage mirrors that ornamental appeal, so the plant stays visually striking even before full fruit maturity. This combination of variegated leaves and striped fruit is central to the identity of Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry and is why it is repeatedly marketed as both a garden feature and an edible pepper.

In use, Candy Cane Chocolate Cherry is consistently described as sweet, crisp, and suitable for fresh eating as well as cooked preparations. It is commonly recommended for snacking, salads, vegetable platters, stir-fries, grilling, and roasting whole. Published heat figures range from 0 to 1000 SHU, but across breeder and seller descriptions it is treated as a sweet to very mild mini bell rather than a hot pepper.