CAP 455

CAP 455 is a Capsicum baccatum accession held by the IPK genebank as CAP 455, also recorded as P 455, with current scientific identification under Capsicum baccatum subsp. pendulum. IPK passport data records it as a traditional cultivar or landrace acquired in 1974 through seed collection, with Germany listed as the country of origin. A major factual conflict affects the origin field, because some modern retail listings describe CAP 455 as Peruvian or of unknown origin, while the formal genebank passport data lists Germany.

In current circulation CAP 455 is known as a rare sweet baccatum with a notably fruity flavour and very low to no heat. Multiple specialist seed sellers describe it as fully heatless or effectively heatless, with thick-walled fruit suited to fresh eating, while one seller lists it at 1,000 to 2,500 SHU. That heat discrepancy is the other major factual conflict attached to this pepper's core database fields, but the broader public identity of CAP 455 is consistently that of a sweet rather than pungent baccatum.

The plant is described as large, bushy, and highly productive, commonly reaching about 1 to 1.5 m tall and needing support because the stems can become weighed down by fruit. Growers and sellers repeatedly describe heavy yields, with abundant production later in the season.

The fruit is conical, medium-sized, and usually about 7 to 10 cm long and 2 to 3 cm wide, with a weight of about 20 to 30 g. It starts green, passes through a yellow to orange-yellow blush stage, and finishes red if left to full maturity. Several growers note that the fruit often eats best when harvested around the yellow-blush stage, before full red ripening. The flesh is described as semi-thick to thick-walled, sweet, and fruity.

Culturally, CAP 455 sits in the modern grower scene as an unusually sweet baccatum accession that is often recommended to people who want baccatum flavour without the normal heat. It is also repeatedly compared with Aji Verde, though CAP 455 is described as longer and less stocky. Its reputation is built around productivity, sweet flavour, and the unusual combination of baccatum character with little or no pungency.