Black Pearl Pepper

Light citrusy-sweet flavor reminiscent of a ripe red bell pepper, with a slow-building medium heat.

Black Pearl peppers are primarily valued as ornamental plants but are fully edible. The compact, upright bushes grow 14 to 24 inches tall with semi-glossy black to deep-purple leaves and produce clusters of tiny, round, pearl-shaped fruits about 1/2 to 1 inch in diameter. Immature fruits are glossy black and mature to a vibrant crimson red. The flavor is lightly sweet and citrusy, reminiscent of a ripe red bell pepper, paired with a slow-building heat. While the peppers can be used fresh in salsas, soups, stews, or dried for flakes, the plant's dramatic dark foliage and colorful fruit progression make it a favorite for containers, borders, and landscaping. It is exceptionally heat- and drought-tolerant, thrives in full sun, and requires minimal care once established. The cultivar was developed in the United States by Rob Griesbach and John Stommel of the USDA Agricultural Research Service and earned the 2006 All-America Selections award for its outstanding ornamental qualities.

Developed in the late 1990s to early 2000s by USDA scientists Rob Griesbach and John Stommel at the U.S. National Arboretum from breeding lines that also produced other ornamental peppers. It was released as a 2006 All-America Selections winner for its dramatic black foliage and colorful fruit display.