California Wonder

California Wonder produces large, blocky, thick-walled bell peppers with four lobes and tender, sweet flesh. Fruit size runs about four inches square, though some describe it as closer to four by three and a half inches. The peppers begin a rich green and ripen to red, growing sweeter as they mature. Tall, prolific plants can carry up to a dozen thick-walled fruits at a time, with a crisp texture and full flavor.

The blocky, thick-walled shape of California Wonder peppers makes them well suited for stuffing, holding fillings while offering tender, flavorful flesh.

California Wonder's leafy plant habit shields developing fruit from sun scald as the peppers redden on the bush, making it a good choice for cooler growing conditions. Left to fully ripen to red, the fruit becomes rich in the carotenoid lycopene, valued for its antioxidant properties.

California Wonder was introduced in 1928 and is recognized as one of the largest open-pollinated heirloom bell peppers grown in home gardens. It has remained a widely grown sweet bell pepper since the 1920s.