Purple Beauty Pepper
The Purple Beauty Pepper is a striking heirloom bell pepper cultivar prized for its deep violet to nearly black coloration when harvested immature and its completely sweet, mild flavor with zero heat. Compact plants produce thick-walled, blocky fruits ideal for adding vibrant color to salads and dishes. This open-pollinated variety ripens to red if left on the plant.
The Purple Beauty Pepper, also known as Purple Beauty Bell Pepper, is an heirloom variety of Capsicum annuum that stands out for its dramatic color transformation and reliable sweetness. Fruits start green, develop rich purple pigmentation due to anthocyanins, and often appear nearly black before ripening to a radiant purple-red or red. The peppers are blocky with four lobes, typically 3-4 inches in size, featuring thick walls and a crisp, crunchy texture. Inside, the flesh remains light green even when the exterior is purple. Flavor is mildly sweet with fresh bell pepper notes, becoming sweeter when fully ripened to red; however, cooking causes the purple hue to revert to green. Plants are compact at 18-24 inches tall, sturdy, and highly productive in full sun. It is believed to have originated in the United States through de-hybridization of the Purple Belle F1 hybrid, possibly related to or a renaming of the Purple Holland Bell developed in the Netherlands during the early 1980s. Excellent for raw applications where color is preserved, such as salads, salsas, and garnishes, or for stuffing, roasting, and grilling like any sweet bell pepper. As a sweet pepper, it contains 0 Scoville heat units and is family-friendly.
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Backstory
An heirloom variety possibly developed in the United States by de-hybridizing the Purple Belle F1 hybrid. It may be related to or a renaming of the Purple Holland Bell pepper developed in the Netherlands in the early 1980s. Valued for both ornamental appeal in the garden and sweet, colorful culinary uses.
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Mildly sweet bell pepper flavor with a fresh, crunchy texture. Extra sweetness compared to green bells; ripens to even sweeter red stage.
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