This isn’t a post about pumpkins and peppers. It’s a post about “pumpkin peppers,” a new shape of sweet pepper, or at least a new shape to me. From the “pumpkin” in the name, you can guess that the shape of this pepper is pumpkin-esque. Specifically it is shaped like those mini pumpkins you see as decorations in the fall. Except these are edible and those real mini pumpkins aren’t.

A Different Sort of Pepper

The specific variety I’m talking about here is Spooky Red, an F1 hybrid variety bred by the Dutch breeding company PRUDAC, which stands for Production and Research for Urban Decoration And Consumption. PRUDAC has produced dozens of varieties of tomatoes, peppers and other popular and easy-to-grow crops that are appropriate for growing in small spaces. And we’re talking small spaces such as in pots on kitchen counters, balconies and patios. Not only are Spooky Red’s fruits “mini” like those mini pumpkins, the entire plant is diminutive, too.

You can glean from the similarity of its name to those “spooky” mini pumpkins that this pepper is totally appropriate for use as a fall decoration item. Spooky Red’s fruits start out as small, creamy-green-colored peppers—similar to those white-ish mini pumpkins—and they eventually mature to red. This maturing process happens in about 85-100 days once the transplant is potted up and ready to grow. The plant transitioning from cream to red makes a fun topic of conversation for your own transition from summer to fall patio or kitchen garden.

Is this variety cutesy, small and ? Yes. But it’s also edible! It’s a snacking type of pepper, which means you can eat these ¾-1 ½ ounce peppers fresh off the vine—maybe even just pop the whole thing in your mouth after removing the stem. Or slice them for adding to salads. These aren’t stuffing peppers unless you are one of The Littles.

How to Grow Spooky Red Pumpkin Pepper

More than likely you’ll purchase this item from a garden center or plant shop. If you find it in a regular ol’ nursery pot, I would suggest repotting into an outdoor-appropriate pot with drainage hole and about 5”-10” in diameter. Give it a 6-8 hours of sunlight a day, and keep it moist but not wet. You’ll harvest your first flush of fruit, the plant will continue to branch and grow upwards. A trellis of support of some kind might be a good idea but it might not be necessary. Spooky Red will grow to be about 2 ft. tall and will continue to produce flowers and fruit up until the killing frost. Which for many of us is right around Halloween—how appropriate!