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Sweet Red Cherry pepper plant with small round glossy red fruit

How to Grow Sweet Red Cherry Pepper From Seed

By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Updated July 2026

The Sweet Red Cherry pepper is a small, round, cherry-shaped pepper that ripens to a glossy bright red. Do not confuse it with the hot cherry pepper: this sweet type carries zero heat, so it is all crisp, juicy sweetness. The compact, bite-sized fruit is ideal for stuffing whole, pickling, or popping into salads. Productive and ornamental on the plant, the Sweet Red Cherry is a charming and delicious choice for any garden.

This is the quick guide to Sweet Red Cherry. 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 to support the fruit-laden branches. Pick the peppers once they turn fully round and glossy red, from about 75 to 80 days, for the sweetest flavor.

Best tip

The Sweet Red Cherry is easy and prolific, but its small fruit taste best fully ripe, so let them color up before picking. Start seeds indoors early and wait until nights are reliably above 55F to transplant. In hot-summer regions like Texas or Florida, give a little afternoon shade during heat waves so the blossoms set instead of dropping, and keep the plant well watered so the round fruit stays plump and sweet.

At a glance

How to Grow Sweet Red Cherry Pepper From Seed — growing specifications at a glance
Botanical name	Capsicum annuum
Plant type	Warm-season annual
USDA zones	3 to 12 (grown as an annual)
Sun	Full sun (6 to 8+ hours)
Days to maturity	75 to 80 days red
Height	18 to 30 inches
Spacing	18 to 24 inches apart
Water	Regular and deep; keep evenly moist

Uses

The Sweet Red Cherry is made for stuffing. Its round, hollow shape is perfect filled with cheese or a tuna-and-caper mix, and it pickles beautifully whole for antipasto platters. Sweet and crisp with zero heat, it is also lovely halved into salads or roasted. Because it is bite-sized and mild, it is a fun, family-friendly pepper that kids enjoy right off the plant.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a Sweet Red Cherry pepper take to grow?

Sweet Red Cherry peppers ripen to full red in about 75 to 80 days from transplant. Since the seedlings are slow to develop, start seeds indoors around 8 weeks before your last frost.

Is the Sweet Red Cherry pepper hot?

No, this is the sweet cherry type with zero heat. Be careful not to confuse it with the hot cherry pepper, which is a separate variety that runs about 2,500 to 5,000 Scoville.

What does the fruit look like and when do I pick it?

The fruit is small, round, and cherry-shaped, about 1.5 inches across, ripening to a glossy bright red. Pick them once they are fully round and deep red, which is when they are sweetest and best for stuffing.

How big does a Sweet Red Cherry plant get and does it need support?

Plants grow about 18 to 30 inches tall and set fruit heavily. A stake or small cage keeps the fruit-laden branches upright and off the ground.

Ready to grow your own? Sweet Red Cherry seeds give you round, glossy, heat-free peppers that are perfect for stuffing and pickling whole. For the full step-by-step, see our complete pepper growing guide linked at the top of this page.

Sweet Cherry Pepper Seeds – Non-GMO HeirloomHeirloom, non-GMOHeirloom Sweet Red Cherry — small round sweet cherries perfect for pickling and snacking.

Price$4.99

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Want more peppers? These value packs pair sweet peppers like Sweet Red Cherry with other varieties:

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Pepper Seeds Variety Pack – Non-GMO Heirloom13 super-hot varietiesThirteen fiery chilis for heat lovers, from habanero to the hottest peppers we carry.

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By Maxim Kaufman — Founder & CEO, Organo Republic

Maxim founded Organo Republic in 2017 and personally selects, tests, and grows the heirloom, non-GMO varieties the company offers. Under his leadership, Organo Republic was named Agri Business Review’s Top Non-GMO Seed Variety Solution 2026.