- Heirloom
- No heat
- 78 days to maturity (from transplant)
- 0 SHU
- Green
California Wonder
Cal Wonder · California Wonder 300 TMR
Heirloom no heat pepper from United States. The standard bell flavour: crisp and mild green, noticeably sweeter if left to redden. Ready in about 78 days from transplant.
Single source · Updated Sep 19, 2026 · Values marked like this (estimated) are estimates.
At a glance
- Heat
- No heat 0 SHU
- Pod
- Ribbed 5–7 oz (140–200 g) (estimated)
Blocky four-lobed bell with thick walls, about 100 mm across.
- Species
- Capsicum annuum
- Days to harvest
- 78 days from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 1½–2½ ft (46–76 cm) Medium height
- Spacing
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm)
- Sunlight
- Full sun
- Position
- Handles open positions
- Growing sites
- Greenhouse · Open ground · Container
- Container growing
- Balcony friendly min. 5 gal (20 L) pot (estimated)
- Difficulty
- Easy-moderate (estimated) 2/5
- Skin
-
- Green
- Red
Heat
Scoville heat units
No heat
California Wonder Scoville heat units: 0 SHU
No heat at all, the band California Wonder and Jimmy Nardello sit in. Sweet enough to eat raw by the handful, and it includes Habanada, a habanero with the heat bred out.
Flavor
“The standard bell flavour: crisp and mild green, noticeably sweeter if left to redden.”
Growing calendar
78 days from transplant Midseason
Timing shown for temperate climates; sow indoors 7–9 (estimated) weeks before your last frost date. Look up your last frost date by ZIP code →
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistances — protect this variety with good airflow and crop rotation.
Uses & tags
- Fresh & salads
- Stuffing
- Roasting
- Slicing
- Heirloom classic
- Market favorite
- Beginner friendly
- High yield
Origin
California Wonder is the bell pepper most American gardeners picture when they picture a bell pepper. The Vegetable Cultivar Descriptions compendium records it as a large blocky thick-walled bell ripening in 68 to 89 days, with fruit around 114 by 102 mm, three or four thick lobes, glossy deep green turning red, on upright prolific plants reaching about 760 mm. Several selections circulate under the name: California Wonder 300 came from Asgrow in 1965 with tobacco mosaic virus resistance, the 300 TMR strain followed, and Golden California Wonder is the yellow-ripening form. Seed sold simply as California Wonder is usually one of the TMR selections.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- Sandia Seed CompanySeeds
30 seeds
Check availability
$2.49Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Eden BrothersSeeds
Packet
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$2.79Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (30 seeds)
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$2.95Checked Oct 16, 2026 - True Leaf MarketSeeds
500 Mg Packet
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$2.99Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Botanical InterestsSeeds
Packet size not listed
Check availability
$2.99Checked Oct 16, 2026
Links may earn us a commission at no cost to you. Prices checked Oct 16, 2026.
All photos
Questions
How do you grow a California Wonder plant?
A California Wonder plant grows 1½–2½ ft (46–76 cm) tall. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart. Start seed indoors 7–9 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–21 days. It needs full sun.
How long does California Wonder take to mature?
California Wonder is ready in about 78 days from transplant.
How hot is California Wonder?
California Wonder sits in the no heat range, about 0–0 Scoville heat units. Figures vary between seed sellers, so treat them as a band rather than a measurement.
Can California Wonder be grown in a container?
Yes — California Wonder grows well in a container of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Is California Wonder resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for California Wonder.
