Chocolate sweet bell peppers are prized for their deep, dark colouring, rich flavour and striking appearance. While often described as “chocolate” peppers, these varieties are typically deep purple to brownish-red when fully mature, offering a sweeter, more complex taste than standard green peppers.
Growseed offers two excellent sweet bell pepper varieties that fall into this dark-coloured category, both well suited to UK greenhouse and sheltered outdoor growing.
Chocolate sweet bell peppers are not a separate species, but sweet peppers that develop very dark pigments as they mature. These pigments create colours ranging from deep purple to rich brown-red, often referred to as chocolate.
Compared to green peppers, chocolate-coloured peppers are usually sweeter and more aromatic once fully ripe. Their colour also makes them a popular choice for growers who want something visually distinctive as well as productive.
The table below lists the dark-coloured (chocolate-style) sweet bell peppers sold by Growseed, chosen for fruit quality, flavour and performance in UK growing conditions.
Chocolate sweet bell peppers require the same growing conditions as other sweet peppers, with an emphasis on warmth and light. In the UK, greenhouse growing offers the most reliable results, particularly for achieving full colour and flavour.
Seeds should be started indoors from late winter using a heated propagator. Plants can be moved to their final growing position once the risk of frost has passed and night temperatures remain consistently mild.
Both Purple Beauty and Mavras F1 can be harvested earlier, but their flavour and sweetness improve significantly when fruits are allowed to reach full colour on the plant.
Purple Beauty retains its dark colouring when mature, while Mavras F1 deepens in colour before ripening fully to red. Harvesting at full maturity delivers the best eating quality.
Chocolate sweet bell peppers offer something different from standard green or red varieties. Their deep colouring, sweet flavour and thick flesh make them ideal for fresh eating, roasting, grilling and stuffing.
For UK growers looking to add variety, visual interest and flavour depth to their sweet pepper crops, these dark-coloured bell peppers are an excellent choice.