Description

Capsicum California Wonder (Capsicum annuum) is a classic heirloom sweet pepper variety known for its blocky shape, thick walls, and rich green to deep red colouration when mature. Each fruit typically measures 10–15 cm in length and develops a sweet, crisp flavour, making it ideal for fresh eating, grilling, stuffing, or slicing into salads.

This variety grows on bushy, upright plants that reach approximately 60–75 cm in height, producing high yields of uniform, four-lobed fruit. It is prized for its reliability, disease resistance, and excellent garden performance, especially under the warm, sunny conditions typical of South African summers.

Renowned for both culinary versatility and easy cultivation, California Wonder remains one of the most widely grown sweet pepper varieties worldwide and is particularly well suited for home gardens, urban containers, and small-scale farming across most regions in South Africa.

Benefits

Insect Repellant and Pollinator

• While not a pollinator magnet, its dense growth suppresses weeds and deters some insect pests.
  
• Encourages beneficial predatory insects when intercropped with flowering herbs like dill or chamomile.

Culinary & Medicinal Use

• Excellent for fresh eating, roasting, stuffing, stir-fries, or salads.
• Popular in Mediterranean, Asian, and African cuisine.
• Used traditionally to support circulation and digestion due to vitamin content.

Nutritional Benefits

• Rich in vitamin C and beta-carotene (vitamin A) – immune and skin health boosters.
• Contains vitamin B6 and folate, supporting metabolism and brain function.
• Provides antioxidants that combat cellular stress.
  

Long Shelf Life

• Thick-walled fruits store well, maintaining quality post-harvest.
  

Garden Performance

• Consistent and high-yielding even in variable climates.
• Ideal for urban gardens and patios in pots or grow bags.

• Thick skin makes fruits resistant to splitting and suitable for short-term storage.
  

 

How To Use

California Wonder flourishes under the following conditions:

• Season: Spring/Summer
• Temperature: 20-30°C
• Germinate: 14-21 days
• Depth: 5 mm
• Spacing: 40x45 cm
• Harvest: 70-80 days 
• Height: Fruit 10-15 cm / Plant 60–75 cm
• Flowering Season: Late spring to summer
• Exposure: Sun 

Ideal Growing Environment

• Prefers a well drained substrate with amendments or pre-made soil containing all the necessary base additives. Ideal pH 6.0–6.8.
• Maintain even moisture, especially during flowering and fruit set. Avoid waterlogging.
• Use organic compost tea or balanced fertiliser monthly. Use potassium fertiliser when fruiting.
• Prefers moderate humidity (50–70%) with good airflow to reduce fungal risks.
• Performs well in most South African provinces with warm summers (Gauteng, KZN, Limpopo, Eastern Cape). Protect from wind and frost.
• Good airflow to reduce disease risk, achieved with proper plant spacing.
• Benefits from being planted alongside carrots, onions, basil, spinach, and marigolds.
• Intercropping: Pair with basil, marigolds, or clover for pest control and soil health.
• Crop Rotation: Follow with peas, clover, or lettuce. Avoid same family (nightshades or brassicas) in the same bed for 3 years.
• Soil Rejuvenation: Plant after nitrogen fixers to restore nutrients. Namely red clover, white clover, lucerne (alfalfa), peas greenfeast.
• Avoid planting with fennel, broccoli and cauliflower – may inhibit growth.

 

 

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