Christmas Bell

Family: Solanaceae Hot Pepper

Planting Schedule

Provide your location or planting zone to unlock dates and add Christmas Bell to a garden.

Fragrant and bright, Christmas Bell peppers glow in the garden with a festive, bell-shaped silhouette and a crisp, juicy snap at first bite.

“Christmas Bell” Aji delivers a lively, peppery warmth with a tangy, aromatic character that shines in fresh salsas and vibrant sauces, and it also roasts beautifully for a deeper, sweeter note. Grow it for its showy color and its bold flavor that keeps your harvest tasting lively from summer through fall.

Light: Full SunMaturity: 85 DaysHabit: Upright

Botanical illustration of Christmas Bell

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Christmas Bell 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	Apr 6th	Jul 20th	Oct 13th – Aug 29th
Zone 2b	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Aug 25th
Zone 3a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Sep 1st
Zone 3b	Mar 31st	Jul 14th	Oct 7th – Sep 21st
Zone 4a	Mar 27th	Jul 10th	Oct 3rd – Sep 24th
Zone 4b	Mar 25th	Jul 8th	Oct 1st – Sep 27th
Zone 5a	Mar 20th	Jul 3rd	Sep 26th – Sep 30th
Zone 5b	Mar 16th	Jun 29th	Sep 22nd – Oct 5th
Zone 6a	Mar 13th	Jun 26th	Sep 19th – Oct 10th
Zone 6b	Mar 7th	Jun 20th	Sep 13th – Oct 16th
Zone 7a	Mar 2nd	Jun 15th	Sep 8th – Oct 20th
Zone 7b	Feb 20th	Jun 5th	Aug 29th – Oct 28th
Zone 8a	Feb 11th	May 27th	Aug 20th – Nov 5th
Zone 8b	Feb 2nd	May 18th	Aug 11th – Nov 12th
Zone 9a	Jan 16th	May 1st	Jul 25th – Nov 26th
Zone 9b	Dec 22nd	Apr 6th	Jun 30th – 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	85
Sun Requirements	Full Sun
Growth Habit	Upright
Support Needed	Stake
Planting Depth	Normal
Germination Temp (°F)	75
Min Soil Temp (°F)	60
Min Night Temp (°F)	50
Harden Off (days)	10

Culinary Notes

Chef's Note

Christmas Bell (Aji) is all about that first-bite snap plus a tangy, aromatic warmth that doesn’t turn dull in a bowl. When you roast it, the pepper shifts from crisp heat into smoky sweetness—perfect for salsas and sauces that need both bite and brightness.

Best Uses

quick-chopped fresh salsa where the pepper stays snappy
char-roasted strips for a deeper, candy-like bell pepper note
stir-in aromatic sauces (keep it short to preserve tang)
searing whole halves for smoky sweetness and juicy bite

Flavor Profile

crisp juicy snap bright tangy heat fragrant pepper aroma sweetness that comes up when roasted

Kitchen Pairings

lime cilantro garlic smoked paprika black beans cheddar

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are my Capsicum baccatum (Christmas Bell/"Lemon Drop" type) plants getting spots and leaf problems, and what should I do?

Watch for early blight or leaf spot, which can show up as dark lesions and yellowing leaves on Solanaceae peppers, especially when foliage stays wet. Water at the soil line, improve airflow by spacing plants well, and remove the worst affected leaves early to slow spread. If it keeps recurring, spray an approved copper-based fungicide according to label directions and repeat at the interval on the product (don’t use on very young tender growth unless the label allows it).

How often should I water Capsicum baccatum during the main growing phase to avoid stress?

During flowering and fruiting (roughly weeks 4–10 after transplant), keep the soil evenly moist but not soggy—aim for watering about 2–3 times per week depending on heat, and reduce frequency if the top 1 inch of soil stays damp. Water deeply so moisture reaches the root zone, then let the top inch dry slightly before the next watering to prevent root stress and blossom drop.

How can I tell when Christmas Bell (Capsicum baccatum) peppers are ready to harvest?

Harvest at about 85 days from sowing/typical season timing when fruits are fully sized and the skin has developed its mature color pattern (often moving from green to yellow/orange/red). Pick peppers with firm walls and glossy skin; if they feel soft or shriveled, they’re past peak. For best flavor and continued production, harvest regularly once they reach maturity rather than letting them over-ripen on the plant.