Bell Horizon Orange pepper plant with bright orange fruit

How to Grow Bell Horizon Orange Pepper From Seed

Updated July 2026

Bell Horizon Orange is a sweet, blocky bell pepper that ripens from green to a brilliant orange, with thick, juicy walls and a bright, fruity sweetness. It carries zero heat, so it is perfect for fresh eating and cooking alike, and the vivid color lights up any dish. Productive and dependable, it rewards a little patience with its signature orange fruit. Here is how to grow it well.

This is the quick guide to Bell Horizon Orange. For the full step-by-step on starting seeds, transplanting, feeding, and troubleshooting peppers, see our complete guide to growing peppers from seed.

Quick start

Start seeds indoors about 8 weeks before your last frost, kept warm at 75 to 85F. Harden the plants off, then transplant them out 18 to 24 inches apart once nights stay above 55F. Give full sun, steady water, and a stake or cage for the heavy fruit. Pick peppers green from about 65 to 70 days, or leave them on the plant to ripen to sweet bright orange around 85 days.

Best tip

Bell Horizon Orange is a sweet blocky bell that rewards patience: the fruit starts green and needs to stay on the plant to develop its signature bright orange color and full sweetness. Start seeds indoors early and transplant after nights stay above 55F. In hot-summer regions, give a little afternoon shade during heat waves so blossoms set, and stake the plants to support the heavy, thick-walled fruit.

At a glance

Botanical nameCapsicum annuum
Plant typeWarm-season annual
USDA zones3 to 12 (grown as an annual)
SunFull sun (6 to 8+ hours)
Days to maturity65 to 70 days green; ~85 orange
Height24 to 30 inches
Spacing18 to 24 inches apart
WaterRegular and deep; keep evenly moist

Uses

Bell Horizon Orange is a sweet, crisp bell with thick, juicy walls and a vivid orange color that lights up any dish. Slice it raw into salads and veggie trays for a burst of color, saute it for fajitas and stir-fries, or roast and stuff the big blocky fruit. With no heat and a bright, fruity sweetness, it is a favorite for cooks who want color as well as flavor.

Frequently asked questions

How long does Bell Horizon Orange take to mature?

You can pick the fruit green at about 65 to 70 days from transplant, but the plant needs roughly 85 days for the peppers to turn their signature bright orange, when they are sweetest.

Is Bell Horizon Orange hot?

No, it is a fully sweet bell pepper with zero heat, 0 on the Scoville scale. It has a bright, fruity sweetness and no spice, making it great for fresh eating and cooking alike.

Do I have to wait for the peppers to turn orange?

Not necessarily. The peppers are edible and crisp at the green stage, but the whole point of this variety is the vivid orange color and extra sweetness that develop when you let the blocky fruit fully ripen on the plant.

How big do the plants get and do they need support?

Plants grow to roughly 24 to 30 inches tall. Because the thick-walled fruit is heavy, a stake or cage is recommended to keep branches from bending or breaking under the load.

Ready to grow your own? Bell Horizon Orange seeds give you thick-walled sweet bells that ripen to a brilliant orange all summer. For the full step-by-step, see our complete pepper growing guide linked at the top of this page.

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