Capsicum: Sweet Banana

Botanical Name:

Capsicum annuum

Family:

Solanaceae

Crop Type:

Fruiting Vegetable

Other Names:

Banana Pepper; Yellow Wax Pepper; Piesangpeper (Afrikaans)

Lifecycle:

Perennial, grown as annual

Uses:

Food (fresh, pickled, grilled, stuffed); processing

Capsicum (Sweet Banana) is a warm-season fruiting vegetable in the Solanaceae family. Plants produce medium-sized, upright bushes with elongated, tapered fruits that curve slightly, resembling a banana shape.

Fruits ripen from pale yellow-green through orange to red, with sweet, mild flesh and thin walls. Fruits are the edible part, used fresh, pickled, grilled, or cooked.

Cultivated in frost-free conditions with warm temperatures, suited to field and tunnel production. Sweet Banana is noted for its mild flavour, distinctive shape, and versatility in fresh and preserved applications.

Climate

Climate Suitability:

Warm frost-free summers; suited to open field and protected production across SA

Frost Tolerance:

Frost sensitive

Heat Tolerance:

High

Sun Type:

Full sun

Soil

Soil Texture:

Loam to sandy loam

Drainage Requirement:

Well-drained

Preferred pH Range:

6.0–6.8 pH

Water

Water Requirement:

Moderate

Irrigation Type:

Drip; Micro Irrigation; Fertigation

Propagation

Propagation Type:

Seed

Propagation Season:

Late winter under protection to spring

Germination Days:

14–21 days

Days to Transplant:

42–56 days

Propagation Notes:

Raise warm seedlings; harden off before transplanting outdoors.

Planting

Planting Season:

Spring to early summer

Plants Per Square Foot:
Square Foot Method

1 per ft²

Plant Spacing:
Square Foot Method

30 cm

Plant Spacing:
Traditional Method

40–50 cm

Row Spacing:
Traditional Method

60–75 cm

Planting Systems

Container Suitable:

Yes

Container Notes:

Hydroponic Compatible:

Yes

Hydroponic Systems:

Hydroponic Notes:

Aquaponic Suitable:

Conditional

Aquaponic Notes:

Companion Plants

Companion herbs mask plant scent from pests; benefits from interplanting in diverse beds.

No crops on recorded.

Please contact us should you feel that this is incorrect.

Competitor Plants

Fennel inhibits growth; continuous solanum planting increases pest and disease pressure.

No crops on recorded.

Please contact us should you feel that this is incorrect.

Pests & Diseases

Pest Types:

Aphids; Thrips; Whitefly; Mites; Fruit Fly

Pest Control:

Use scouting, sanitation, sticky traps, integrated controls and approved treatments as needed.

Disease Types:

Bacterial spot, Powdery mildew, Phytophthora root rot, Viruses (CMV, TMV), Blossom end rot (physiological)

Disease Control:

Use crop rotation, disease-free seedlings, maintain consistent moisture, ensure airflow and remove infected material.

Harvest

Planting Season:

Spring to early summer

Plant Spacing:
Square Foot Method

30 cm

Plant Spacing:
Traditional Method

40–50 cm

Row Spacing:
Traditional Method

60–75 cm

Nutrition

Edible Parts:

Fruit

Reference Food State:

Raw sweet pepper

Serving Size:

100 g

Nutrition Basis:

Per 100 g raw edible portion

Energy

Calories (kcal):

27 kcal

Calories (kj):

113 kj

Macronutrients

Total Carbohydrates:

6.4 g

Protein:

1 g

Total Fat:

0.21 g

Carbohydrates

Dietary Fibre:

1.7 g

Starch:

0 g

Total Sugars:

4 g

Fats

Monounsaturated Fat:

0.006 g

Omega-3 Fatty Acids:

0.02 g

Omega-6 Fatty Acids:

0.05 g

Polyunsaturated Fat:

0.07 g

Saturated Fat:

0.05 g

Trans Fat:

0 g

Minerals

Calcium:

9 mg

Chromium:

0 mcg

Copper:

0.066 mg

Iron:

0.46 mg

Iodine:

0 mcg

Magnesium:

14 mg

Manganese:

0.15 mg

Molybdenum:

0 mcg

Phosphorus:

24 mg

Potassium:

256 mg

Selenium:

0.3 mcg

Sodium:

3 mg

Zinc:

0.18 mg

Vitamins

Vitamin A:

18 mcg RE

Thiamin:
Vitamin B1

0.057 mg

Riboflavin:
Vitamin B2

0.03 mg

Niacin:
Vitamin B3

0.89 mg NE

Pantothenic Acid:
Vitamin B5

0.2 mg

Vitamin B6:

0.233 mg

Biotin:
Vitamin B7

0 mcg

Folate:
Vitamin B9

26 mcg

Vitamin B12:

0 mcg

Vitamin C:

82.7 mg

Vitamin D:

0 mcg

Vitamin E:

0.37 mg alpha-tocopherol

Vitamin K:

7.4 mcg

Recipes

Rooted Futures

Growing Change

Capsicum: Sweet Banana

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