Crop type: Peppers
Capsicum annuum ‘Bianca’
Common name: Sweet pepper ‘Bianca’
Crop slug: peppers
This Allotment Pro editorial draft summarises the cited RHS cultivar profile and its linked crop guidance. Check the sources and adjust cultivation decisions for local conditions.RHS cultivar profile
1 - Overview
‘Bianca’ is an AGM mid-season sweet pepper, growing about 60cm and producing medium to large bell fruits. The recommendation describes cream fruit ripening yellow, while the detailed profile records a pale ivory stage progressing towards scarlet red. Its dense thickset foliage protects the peppers from sunscald, and the cultivar has strong resistance to tobacco mosaic virus.
The mild flavour and pale early colour make it visually distinct from ordinary green-starting bells.
2 - Size
- Ultimate height
- 0.5–1 metre; about 60cm typical
- Ultimate spread
- 0.5–1 metre
- Time to maturity
- one year; mid-season
- Fruit form
- medium to large blocky bell pepper
Plant singly in a 30cm container or 38–45cm apart in warm ground. Dense foliage and large fruit may require staking.
3 - Growing conditions
- Suitable soils
- Loam
- Moisture
- Moist but well drained, or well drained
- Preferred pH
- Acid, neutral or alkaline
Use fertile loam or peat-free compost and maintain even moisture. Feed weekly with high-potassium liquid fertiliser from flowering in containers.
4 - Position and hardiness
- Light
- Full sun or partial shade
- Aspect
- South- or west-facing
- Exposure
- Sheltered
- Hardiness
- H1c
Warm protected growing gives the most reliable colour development. Move outdoors only after frost and once nights remain above 12°C.
5 - Colour and seasonal interest
A thickset upright plant carries dense dark-green ovate foliage and small white flowers. Large blocky peppers begin pale cream or ivory, mature through yellow, and may progress to red when fully ripe, sheltered beneath the leaf canopy.
6 - Botanical details
- Family
- Solanaceae
- Native to Great Britain and Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright and thickset
- Name status
- Accepted
Genus
Capsicum plants have simple alternate leaves, small pale flowers and glossy many-seeded fruits. Cultivars include sweet bells and hot chillies.
Safety
The fruit is edible. Do not eat foliage, stems or treated seed.
7 - How to grow
Cultivation
Sow indoors at 18–21°C from February to early April. Pot seedlings at two true leaves and grow in bright warmth. Plant under cover or in a sheltered outdoor position after hardening off.
Water evenly, feed from flowering and support large fruit. Harvest at the distinctive cream-to-yellow stage for mild crisp flesh, or allow selected peppers to colour further.
Propagation
Propagate by seed sown indoors.
Suggested locations
- Greenhouse or conservatory
- Patio container
- City courtyard
- Cottage garden
- Warm sheltered bed
Pruning
No pruning is required. Remove only damaged growth and support heavily laden branches.
Pests
May be susceptible to cutworms, flea beetles and aphids, together with common protected-crop sap feeders.
Diseases
May be susceptible to blossom end rot and bacterial spot. ‘Bianca’ has strong resistance to tobacco mosaic virus.