About this seed

Iko-Iko is a blocky sweet pepper (Capsicum annuum, family Solanaceae) whose fruits pass through purple, yellow, orange and red as they ripen, so one plant carries several colours at once. Fruits weigh 100–150 g. The packet holds 5 seeds.

Also known as: Sweet pepper, Bell pepper, Shimla mirch (Hindi), Pimiento (Spanish), Poivron (French), Peperone (Italian), Paprika (German, Hungarian), Pimentão (Portuguese).

Fruit and plant

Fruit: blocky, bell-shaped, 100–150 g, thick-walled and glossy.
Colour: purple, yellow, orange and red during ripening.
Taste: sweet and crisp.
Plant: compact and bushy, 60–80 cm; suits beds and containers.

Kitchen use

Eat the fruit raw in salads and as a snack, or stuff, roast, grill and stir-fry it. The mixed colours also make it a decorative plant in an edible garden.

Sow warm, about 6 mm deep

Keep the soil at 18–35 °C, the optimum range for this species. At 25–35 °C seedlings usually appear in about 8–9 days. Sow about 6 mm deep and start indoors 8–10 weeks before the last frost date. These figures are typical for Capsicum annuum, not measured on this lot.

Planting out and harvest

Move the plants outdoors when the weather is reliably warm and frost is over. Space them 40–50 cm apart in full sun and well-drained, fertile soil, water regularly and mulch. Fruit is typically ready 75–85 days after transplanting, counted from the day the plants go outside.

Keeping spare seed

Pepper seed of this species stays usable for about 2 years when stored cool, dark and dry. We do not state a germination percentage for this packet.

What you get

5 seeds of Sweet Pepper Iko-Iko.

FAQ

Why are the peppers different colours?

The fruit changes through purple, yellow, orange and red as it ripens.

How big is the plant?

60–80 cm, compact and bushy.

Is it hot?

No. It is a sweet pepper.