- Heirloom
- No heat
- 73 days to maturity (from transplant)
- 0 SHU
- Red
Marconi Red
Marconi Rosso · Marconi Italian
Heirloom no heat pepper from Italy. Very sweet when fully red, with thin walls that blister and caramelise rather than steam in a hot pan. Ready in about 73 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
- Elongated 3–5 oz (90–140 g) (estimated)
Long tapering pods around 150 to 200 mm and about 40 mm across at the shoulder, thin-walled and slightly curved.
- Species
- Capsicum annuum
- Days to harvest
- 73 days from transplant · Midseason
- Plant height
- 1½–2 ft (46–61 cm) Compact
- Spacing
- 18 × 24 in (46 × 61 cm) (estimated)
- 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
-
- Red
- Green
Heat
Scoville heat units
No heat
Marconi Red 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
“Very sweet when fully red, with thin walls that blister and caramelise rather than steam in a hot pan.”
Growing calendar
73 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
- Roasting
- Fresh & salads
- Slicing
- Canning
- Heirloom classic
- High flavor
- Market favorite
- Container star
Origin
Marconi Red is the Italian heirloom frying pepper that the Marconi name originally belonged to: a long tapering sweet pod, thin-walled, ripening from green to deep red. It is worth being precise about the name, because at least four different peppers are sold under it. Giant Marconi is an F1 hybrid and an All-America Selections winner, not this variety; Golden Marconi and Purple Marconi are separate open-pollinated types distinguished by colour. True Leaf Market lists this one at 73 days from transplant with no heat at all.
Sources
Where to buy seeds
Prices rechecked daily- True Leaf MarketSeeds
250 Mg Packet
Check availability
$2.99Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Tomato Growers Supply CompanySeeds
Pack (30 seeds)
Check availability
$3.25Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Eden BrothersSeeds
Packet
Check availability
$3.84Checked Oct 16, 2026 - Sandia Seed CompanySeeds
10 seeds
Check availability
$3.99Checked 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 Marconi Red plant?
A Marconi Red plant grows 1½–2 ft (46–61 cm) tall. Space plants 18 in (46 cm) apart in rows 24 in (61 cm) apart (estimated). Start seed indoors 7–9 weeks before your last frost (estimated); it germinates in 7–14 days. It needs full sun.
How long does Marconi Red take to mature?
Marconi Red is ready in about 73 days from transplant.
How hot is Marconi Red?
Marconi Red 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 Marconi Red be grown in a container?
Yes — Marconi Red grows well in a container of at least 20 L (5 gal).
Is Marconi Red resistant to disease?
No disease resistance is documented for Marconi Red.
