Chocolate Beauty

Family: Solanaceae Sweet Pepper

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Chocolate Beauty to a garden.

Sink your senses into Chocolate Beauty’s velvety, chocolate-brown bells—deep, glossy, and richly aromatic as they ripen.

At maturity, the pods are thick-walled and crisp-tender, with a classic bell shape that holds its structure beautifully for bold color in the garden. Grow this standout pepper for standout fresh salads, vibrant roasting, and striking sauces where its dark sweetness and gentle heat shine through.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 75 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Chocolate Beauty

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Chocolate Beauty Planting Dates by USDA Zone

Estimated US hardiness-zone windows for sow, transplant, and harvest. Enter a US ZIP above for exact local dates, or open a zone below.

Zone	Start Indoors	Sow / Transplant	Harvest
Zone 1a	Protected Environment Only
Zone 1b	Protected Environment Only
Zone 2a	Mar 30th	Jul 20th	Oct 3rd – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 24th	Jul 14th	Sep 27th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 20th	Jul 10th	Sep 23rd – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 18th	Jul 8th	Sep 21st – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 13th	Jul 3rd	Sep 16th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 9th	Jun 29th	Sep 12th – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 6th	Jun 26th	Sep 9th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Feb 28th	Jun 20th	Sep 3rd – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Feb 23rd	Jun 15th	Aug 29th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 13th	Jun 5th	Aug 19th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 4th	May 27th	Aug 10th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Jan 26th	May 18th	Aug 1st – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 9th	May 1st	Jul 15th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 15th	Apr 6th	Jun 20th – Dec 9th
Zone 10a	Continuous Production
Zone 10b	Continuous Production
Zone 11a	Continuous Production
Zone 11b	Continuous Production
Zone 12a	Continuous Production
Zone 12b	Continuous Production
Zone 13a	Continuous Production
Zone 13b	Continuous Production

Crop Details

Trait	Value
Days to Maturity	75
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	80
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

This bell pepper matures into a thick-walled, crisp-tender vessel for flavor—sweet, roasty, and only lightly hot, so it doesn’t get lost in smoke or acid. Slice it for salads that stay crunchy, or roast it hard until the edges go dark; the flavor turns cocoa-like while the heat stays polite.

Best Uses

char-and-peel roasting to intensify sweetness
thick slices in hearty salads that hold crunch under vinaigrette
blended into smoky, glossy roasted-pepper sauces
grilled pepper halves for a clean, structured filling

Flavor Profile

dark cocoa-brown sweetness gentle, warm chili heat thick, crisp-tender bite roasty, bell-pepper fragrance

Kitchen Pairings

smoked paprika garlic olive oil balsamic vinegar goat cheese chicken

Frequently Asked Questions

What pest or disease most commonly affects Capsicum annuum (Chocolate Beauty), and how can I control it?

Watch for aphids and thrips, which can cluster on new growth and leave leaves curled or stippled; spray with insecticidal soap and repeat every 5–7 days for persistent hotspots. Also scout for fungal leaf spots and blossom-end/fruit rots, which are encouraged by wet foliage—water at the soil line and remove badly spotted leaves to slow spread.

How often should I water Chocolate Beauty during its main growing phase?

During active growth and fruit set, keep the top 1 inch of soil consistently moist but not soggy; this usually means watering about 1–2 times per week depending on heat and container size. If using pots, water until excess drains, then wait until the top inch dries before watering again to prevent stress and fruit-quality problems.

How do I know when Chocolate Beauty peppers are ready to harvest?

Harvest once pods are glossy and have turned fully dark chocolate-brown, typically around 75 days from transplant (your plants may mature faster or slower depending on temperature). Pick peppers with firm skin before they start to wrinkle or soften, and use sharp scissors so you don’t tear the plant’s branches.