Cal Wonder Sweet Bell Pepper, Heirloom Seeds

Cal Wonder, Sweet Pepper Seeds — The Gold Standard Heirloom Bell

If there is one bell pepper that has defined the American kitchen garden for the better part of a century, it is Cal Wonder. Developed in California and beloved ever since, this thick-walled, blocky heirloom produces large, four-lobed fruits that ripen from a deep, glossy green to a rich, candy-sweet red. The walls are substantial — nearly ¼ inch thick — making Cal Wonder the definitive stuffing pepper, equally at home roasted whole, sliced raw into salads, or preserved in jars for winter.

Reliable, prolific, and true to type year after year, Cal Wonder is the benchmark against which all other bell peppers are measured — and for good reason.

Why Grow Cal Wonder?

• Classic American heirloom — the benchmark bell pepper for over 100 years
• Large, four-lobed blocky fruits — thick-walled, ideal for stuffing and roasting
• Green to red ripening — harvest at either stage for different flavor profiles
• Prolific producer — generous yields through the season
• Open-pollinated — save seed year after year
• Non-GMO, USA-grown seeds

Growing Notes

Start indoors 8–10 weeks before last frost. Sow seeds ¼ inch deep in fertile, well-draining soil. Transplant outdoors after all frost danger has passed, spacing plants 18–24 inches apart in full sun. Water consistently and support heavy-fruiting plants with stakes. Harvest green at 75 days or allow to ripen fully to red.

Days to maturity: 75 days (green), 90 days (red)
Packet size: ~25+ seeds
Heat level: None (0 SHU)
Type: Heirloom, Open-Pollinated
Spacing: 18–24 inches
Origin: US
Sun: Full sun
USDA Zones: 3–12