HeirloomContainer OK

Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn'

Capsicum annuum 'Corno di Toro'

A black and white cow statue decorated with tulips

This spectacular Italian heirloom produces enormous 8-inch peppers shaped like a bull's horn with incredibly sweet, tender flesh. The thin-skinned fruits are perfect for frying, roasting, or fresh eating, and their impressive size makes them a showstopper in any garden or kitchen.

Harvest

75-85d

Days to harvest

📅

Sun

Full sun

☀️

Zones

4–11

USDA hardiness

🗺️

Height

1-3 feet

📏

Planting Timeline

Zone:

Jan

Feb

Mar

Apr

May

Jun

Jul

Aug

Sep

Oct

Nov

Dec

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Start Indoors

Transplant

Harvest

Showing dates for Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn' in USDA Zone 7

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Zone Map

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Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn' · Zones 4–11

What grows well in Zone 7? →

Growing Details

Difficulty

Moderate

Spacing18-24 inches

SoilRich, well-draining soil with plenty of organic matter

pH6.0-7.0

Water1-2 inches per week, consistent deep watering

SeasonWarm season

FlavorExceptionally sweet and mild with tender, thin skin

ColorGreen ripening to bright red

Size8-10 inches long, 2-3 inches wide at base

Zone-by-Zone Planting Calendar

Zone	Indoor Start	Transplant	Direct Sow	Harvest
Zone 1	May – May	July – August	—	October – August
Zone 2	April – May	June – July	—	September – September
Zone 11	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 12	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 13	January – January	January – February	—	April – June
Zone 3	April – April	June – July	—	September – October
Zone 4	March – April	June – June	—	August – October
Zone 5	March – March	May – June	—	August – October
Zone 6	March – March	May – June	—	August – October
Zone 7	February – March	April – May	—	July – September
Zone 8	February – February	April – May	—	July – September
Zone 9	January – January	March – April	—	June – August
Zone 10	January – January	February – March	—	May – July

Succession Planting

Bull's Horn is a single-planting crop — set transplants once in spring and the plants keep producing from July through frost. Start seeds indoors 10–14 weeks before your last frost date (February to March in zone 7), and don't rush transplants outside until nighttime temps stay reliably above 55°F. Peppers set out in cold soil stall badly and rarely recover the time lost.

If you want a steady run of fully red fruits rather than all green at once, the more useful move is planting 4–6 plants and leaving some to color up while you pick others early. At 75–85 days to harvest, one planting gives you a long enough window — staggering transplants by two weeks is more practical than trying to succession-sow a crop that takes this long to mature.

Complete Growing Guide

This Italian heirloom requires consistent warmth and won't set fruit reliably below 70°F, so delay transplanting until soil temperatures stabilize in late spring. Unlike compact pepper varieties, Bull's Horn develops into a tall, sprawling plant needing sturdy support and strategic pruning to prevent branch breakage under the weight of its 8-inch fruits. The thin skin that makes these peppers exceptional for roasting also makes them more susceptible to sunscald and spider mites in extremely hot, dry conditions—provide afternoon shade in regions above 90°F and monitor closely during heat waves. The 75-85 day maturity window assumes optimal growing conditions; cooler climates may need an extra 10-14 days. To maximize your harvest, pinch off the first flower clusters when plants are 12 inches tall, directing energy into stronger branch development rather than early fruiting.

Light: Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day). Soil: Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt), Sand. Soil pH: Acid (<6.0), Alkaline (>8.0), Neutral (6.0-8.0). Drainage: Good Drainage. Height: 1 ft. 0 in. - 3 ft. 8 in.. Spread: 0 ft. 6 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.. Spacing: 12 inches-3 feet. Growth rate: Medium. Maintenance: Low. Propagation: Seed. Regions: Coastal, Mountains, Piedmont.

Harvesting

Harvest Bull's Horn peppers when they reach their full 8-inch length and develop a deep red color, though they are edible at the green stage if you prefer a slightly firmer texture. The thin skin should feel smooth and waxy to the touch, yielding slightly to gentle pressure when fully mature. These peppers are best harvested continuously throughout the season by cutting them at the stem rather than pulling, which encourages the plant to produce more flowers and fruit. For optimal sweetness and tenderness that makes this heirloom exceptional, wait until the peppers have fully colored and feel light in your hand, indicating peak sugar development. Regular harvesting every two to three days during peak season will extend your yield well into fall.

Fruits are a non-pulpy berry and vary considerably across cultivars. Some are long, thin, bright red, and spicy; others are thick, large, and sweet-tasting; others still are small and in ornamental shapes and colors, grown as decoration.

Color: Black, Gold/Yellow, Green, Orange, Red/Burgundy. Type: Berry. Length: 1-3 inches. Width: < 1 inch.

Garden value: Edible, Good Dried, Showy

Harvest time: Summer

Edibility: Fruits edible, but spiciness is unpredictable in intensity.

Storage & Preservation

Store fresh Bull's Horn peppers in the refrigerator at 45-50°F with moderate humidity, ideally in a perforated plastic bag in the crisper drawer. They'll keep for 7-10 days under these conditions. For longer preservation, freezing works exceptionally well—simply core, seed, and slice the peppers, then freeze on a tray before bagging. Roasting before freezing concentrates their natural sweetness and suits their intended culinary use. Canning is also viable using standard hot-pack methods for stuffed or sliced peppers in vinegar brine. Drying is possible but less common given their thin walls and high water content; use a dehydrator at 135°F until completely brittle. Fermenting these mild peppers yields an excellent condiment—layer sliced peppers with salt and keep submerged under brine for two to three weeks. The thin skin that makes them ideal for frying also means they process and preserve more quickly than thicker-walled varieties, reducing processing time in all methods.

History & Origin

This Italian heirloom belongs to the Corno di Toro (bull's horn) pepper lineage, a traditional landrace cultivated for centuries in Southern Italy, particularly around Naples and Campania. The variety emerged through generations of farmer selection rather than formal breeding programs, with seeds passed down through families who valued the peppers' exceptional sweetness and thin skin ideal for roasting. While specific documentation of its introduction date or original breeder remains limited, it represents part of Italy's rich heritage of horn-shaped pepper varieties. The Bull's Horn has been maintained and distributed by heritage seed companies and Italian seed savers who recognized its horticultural and culinary significance.

Origin: Tropical North and South America

Advantages

+Enormous 8-inch horn-shaped fruits create stunning visual impact in gardens.
+Exceptionally sweet, tender flesh requires no roasting to enjoy fresh.
+Thin skin makes Bull's Horn ideal for quick frying or charring.
+Moderate 75-85 day maturity fits most growing seasons well.
+Italian heirloom variety produces reliable yields of premium-quality peppers.

Considerations

-Susceptible to multiple diseases including bacterial leaf spot and anthracnose.
-Thin skin makes fruits more prone to sunscald and physical damage.
-European corn borers and pepper maggots frequently infest this variety.
-Large fruit size demands consistent watering and rich soil nutrition.

Companion Plants

Basil and marigolds are the two most practical companions for Bull's Horn. Basil's dense aromatic oils confuse aphids and thrips through scent interference — and at 18-inch pepper spacing, you can slot a basil plant between every other pepper without crowding either one. French marigolds (Tagetes patula specifically) produce a root exudate that suppresses soil nematodes, which stress pepper roots and can make plants more vulnerable to bacterial leaf spot moving in through damaged tissue. Carrots and onions are worth slipping in nearby too: allium roots sit shallow, carrot taproots go deep, and neither competes with pepper roots in the 6–10 inch zone.

Fennel is the one to pull out of any bed where you're growing food crops. It releases allelopathic compounds from its roots that stunt nearby plants — peppers included. Brassicas are a different problem: they're heavy nitrogen feeders that will outcompete peppers in a shared bed, and NC State Extension's organic disease guidance flags nightshades and brassicas as crops that shouldn't share rotation slots, since alternating them does nothing to break soil-borne disease cycles.

Plant Together

Basil

Repels aphids, spider mites, and thrips while potentially improving pepper flavor

Tomatoes

Share similar growing conditions and can help deter certain pests when grown together

Marigolds

Repel nematodes, aphids, and whiteflies while attracting beneficial insects

Oregano

Deters aphids, spider mites, and provides ground cover to retain soil moisture

Carrots

Help break up soil and don't compete for nutrients, while peppers provide light shade

Onions

Repel aphids, thrips, and other pests that commonly attack peppers

Parsley

Attracts beneficial insects like hoverflies and parasitic wasps that control pepper pests

Nasturtiums

Act as trap crops for aphids and cucumber beetles while repelling squash bugs

Keep Apart

Fennel

Releases allelopathic compounds that inhibit pepper growth and development

Brassicas

Compete heavily for nutrients and can stunt pepper growth due to different soil pH preferences

Walnut Trees

Produce juglone which is toxic to peppers and can cause wilting and death

Nutrition Facts

Calories

27kcal(1%)

Protein

1.66g(3%)

Fiber

3.4g(12%)

Carbs

5.35g(2%)

Fat

0.45g(1%)

Vitamin C

82.7mg(92%)

Vitamin A

17mcg(2%)

Vitamin K

9.5mcg(8%)

Iron

0.46mg(3%)

Calcium

14mg(1%)

Potassium

256mg(5%)

Per 100g serving. % Daily Value based on 2,000 calorie diet. Source: USDA FoodData Central (FDC #169394)

Pests & Disease Resistance

Resistance

Limited disease resistance typical of heirlooms

Common Pests

European corn borer, aphids, pepper maggots, cutworms

Diseases

Bacterial leaf spot, anthracnose, pepper mottle virus, blossom end rot

Troubleshooting Sweet Pepper 'Bull's Horn'

What you'll see, why it happens, and what to do about it.

Sunken, leathery dark patch on the bottom or side of the fruit — sometimes with secondary gray or black mold growing on it

Likely Causes

Blossom end rot — localized calcium deficiency in the developing fruit
Inconsistent watering or drought stress preventing calcium uptake
High ammonium-nitrogen fertilizer interfering with calcium availability

What to Do

1.Water deeply and consistently — 1 to 2 inches per week; uneven moisture is the most common trigger
2.Mulch around plants before dry spells hit, ideally by blooming time (UGA Extension specifically calls this out for peppers)
3.Pull back on high-nitrogen fertilizers, especially ammonium-based ones; get a soil test to check actual calcium levels before amending

Your sweet Bull's Horn fruits taste noticeably hot — not mildly spicy, but genuinely capsaicin-hot

Likely Causes

Cross-pollination from nearby hot peppers (jalapeño, cayenne, etc.) — the capsaicin gene is dominant, and insect-carried pollen can affect the current season's fruit
Saved seed from a previous cross planted this year

What to Do

1.NC State Extension notes that pepper crosses — unlike most vegetables — can show up in the fruit you're eating now, not just in next year's seed; if you're growing hot Capsicum annuum types nearby, put at least 50–100 feet between them or use row cover during flowering
2.Only save seed from Bull's Horn plants grown well away from any hot pepper varieties
3.Nothing fixes the heat in fruit already on the plant this season — use those fruits in cooked dishes where the extra kick won't ruin anything

Frequently Asked Questions

How long does Bull's Horn pepper take to grow from seed?▼

Bull's Horn peppers take 155-165 days from seed to harvest. Start seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last frost, then expect 75-85 days from transplanting to first harvest. In shorter growing seasons, focus on getting transplants out as soon as soil warms to 65°F to maximize your harvest window.

Can you grow Bull's Horn peppers in containers?▼

Yes, but use large containers at least 20 gallons in size. Bull's Horn peppers develop extensive root systems and produce heavy fruits that need substantial container space and support. Use rich potting mix, provide consistent watering, and stake plants early. Container growing works especially well in zones 5-6 where you can move pots to maximize warmth.

What do Bull's Horn peppers taste like?▼

Bull's Horn peppers have exceptionally sweet, mild flavor with no heat whatsoever. The thin-skinned flesh is crisp when fresh and becomes incredibly tender when cooked. Many gardeners describe the flavor as more complex and aromatic than standard bell peppers, with subtle fruity notes that intensify when peppers ripen from green to red.

Are Bull's Horn peppers good for beginners?▼

Bull's Horn peppers are moderately challenging and better suited for gardeners with some pepper-growing experience. They require long warm seasons, consistent watering, sturdy support systems, and careful attention to soil temperature. Beginners in warm climates (zones 7-9) will have more success than those in cooler northern areas.

When should I plant Bull's Horn pepper seeds?▼

Start Bull's Horn pepper seeds indoors 8-10 weeks before your last expected frost date. Seeds need warm soil (75-80°F) to germinate properly. Don't rush transplanting – wait until nighttime temperatures stay consistently above 55°F and soil temperature reaches at least 65°F, typically 2-3 weeks after your last frost date.

Do Bull's Horn peppers need support or staking?▼

Absolutely. Bull's Horn peppers produce heavy 8-inch fruits that will snap branches without proper support. Install tomato cages or sturdy stakes at planting time, before the plants establish, to avoid root disturbance later. Each mature pepper can weigh over a pound, so use robust support systems rated for indeterminate tomatoes.