Key Features
Maintenancemoderate
Overview
Capsicum annuum 'Fish' is Fish pepper, an annual growing 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) tall and 12-18 inches (30-45 cm) wide. Variegated green and cream-white striped foliage — the variegation is the cultivar's defining visual trait. Fruit ripens from cream-white with green stripes to orange with brown stripes to solid red at maturity. The unripe variegated fruit stage (cream-white with green stripes) is the traditional harvest time — used in the white cream sauce of mid-Atlantic seafood cookery where a visible red pepper would spoil the sauce color. 5,000-30,000 Scoville units (medium heat — comparable to serrano). In the nightshade family (Solanaceae). Heirloom — African-American heritage variety from Baltimore and Philadelphia, nearly lost until recovered by Seed Savers Exchange in the 1990s. Open-pollinated — seed can be saved. The variegation is a genetic trait: some seedlings may revert to all-green — remove green-reverting shoots or they will outcompete. Start indoors 8 weeks before last frost. Non-toxic (edible crop). Deer-resistant. Full sun. Tender annual. Growth rate is moderate.
Native Range
Heirloom African-American heritage variety from the mid-Atlantic US (Baltimore, Philadelphia). The species C. annuum is native to Central and South America.Suggested Uses
Grown in vegetable gardens and containers of at least 2 gallons (8 L). Variegated ornamental hot pepper. African-American heritage heirloom. Open-pollinated. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Tender annual.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height1'6" - 2'
Width/Spread1' - 1'6"
Reaches mature size in approximately 1 years
Bloom Information
Summer (July-September). White star-shaped 5-petaled flowers. Self-pollinating. Fruit 75-90 days from transplant. Continuous production until frost.Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
White, star-shaped, 5-petaled, 0.4 inch (10 mm)Foliage Description
Variegated green and cream-white striping; the variegation is the cultivar's defining visual trait — some leaves are heavily cream-white striped, others mostly greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-10 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Full sun (6+ hours). Well-drained soil pH 6.0-7.0. Start indoors 8 weeks early. Remove all-green (non-variegated) shoots — they outcompete. 5,000-30,000 Scoville units. Open-pollinated — save seeds. Non-toxic. Deer-resistant. Tender annual.Pruning
Remove all-green (non-variegated) shoots to maintain variegation. Pick fruit regularly. Remove the first few flowers to build a stronger plant. Remove lower leaves touching soil.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer
Maintenance Level
moderateContainer Growing
✓ Suitable for container growing
Minimum container size: 2 gallons