Ralph Thompson's Squash Pepper

Ralph Thompson's Squash Pepper is a distinctive heirloom Capsicum annuum with saucer-shaped, ribbed fruits resembling small squashes or UFOs that ripen from green through brown to glossy red. It offers a sweet, rich flavor balanced by medium heat and grows on compact, highly productive plants ideal for stuffing and fresh use. This variety traces to Italian immigrant stock and has been family-presn

Ralph Thompson's Squash Pepper produces an abundance of unique saucer-shaped peppers with pronounced ribbing, measuring about 2 inches tall and 3 inches in diameter, or up to 2.5 to 4 inches across, with very thick, crisp flesh. The fruits start green, transition through brown, and mature to a brilliant glossy red. The flavor is exceptionally sweet, rich, and fruity with a pleasant building heat that complements rather than dominates, making it versatile for both sweet and spicy applications. Plants are compact, typically 12 to 24 inches tall, and highly productive, often used in containers. It matures in 75 to 90 days from transplant. Excellent for fresh eating, roasting, stuffing with cheese or meats, salsas, pickling, drying into flakes or paprika, hot sauce, relish, and even mustard made with the seeds. The Havercamp family, who donated it to Seed Savers Exchange, particularly enjoys it in canned hot pepper relish and soups. Wear gloves when handling due to the heat.