How to Grow Autumn Treasure
Wikimedia Commons
Autumn Treasure
Capsicum annuum
vegetableAutumn Treasure is a striking ornamental and edible pepper variety that produces abundant fruit in shades of yellow, orange, and red as they mature on the same plant. These compact plants are prized for their decorative appeal and mild flavor, making them popular for both ornamental gardening and culinary use. The peppers are excellent fresh eating or lightly cooked.
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Example Autumn Treasure timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)
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Plant Autumn Treasure
Around Apr 17Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
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Tend & protect
Late spring–summerWatering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
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Harvest Autumn Treasure
Around Jun 16≈ 60 days after planting
Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact Autumn Treasure dates for your own zip code.
Growing Conditions
Soil
Growing Zones
Find your zone →Zones 9b-11; grown as annual in cooler zones (6-9a)
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Seedling
3-4 weeksSmall plants with 2-4 true leaves, tender and delicate
Keep soil warm (70-75°F), provide bright light 14-16 hours daily, maintain high humidity, avoid overwatering to prevent damping off
Vegetative Growth
3-4 weeks after transplanting outdoorsStocky plants developing multiple branches, reaching 12-18 inches tall, green foliage dominant
Harden off transplants gradually before moving outdoors, ensure full sun exposure, maintain steady water and nutrients, pinch top if plant is leggy to encourage branching
Flowering
3-4 weeks, overlapping with fruit productionSmall white flowers appear at branch junctions, plant reaches maximum compact size (12-18 inches)
Maintain consistent moisture to prevent flower drop, apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks, ensure pollinator access or hand-pollinate if indoors, avoid excessive nitrogen which promotes foliage over flowers
Fruiting
4-6 weeks for full maturation cycle on individual peppersPeppers develop rapidly, starting green and progressing through yellow, orange, and red as they mature; multiple fruit at various stages on same plant creates decorative appearance
Continue consistent watering, provide balanced fertilizer (lower nitrogen now), support branches with fruit as needed, maintain full sun for color development, harvest early fruit to encourage more production
Harvest & Extended Production
6-12 weeks depending on climatePeppers reach full size and desired color; plant continues producing new flowers and fruit through season
Harvest regularly to stimulate continued production, use sharp pruners to avoid damaging branches, continue watering and light feeding until frost, plants can produce for 3-4 months in warm climates
Companion Planting
Plan your garden →Plant with:
Avoid planting near:
Common Pests
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Spray with water to dislodge, use neem oil, increase humidity, introduce predatory mites
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Spray with insecticidal soap, neem oil, or water spray; introduce ladybugs; use reflective mulch
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Yellow sticky traps, spray with insecticidal soap or neem oil, vacuum with handheld device
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Remove and destroy infested fruit, apply spinosad or pyrethrin-based insecticides, maintain clean garden beds
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Remove infected fruit and leaves, improve air circulation, avoid overhead watering, apply copper fungicide if needed
Uses
Fresh eating and cooking
CulinaryAutumn Treasure peppers have a mild, sweet flavor that improves as they mature through color stages. Enjoy them raw in salads, sliced as snacks, or lightly sautéed as a colorful side dish. [source]
Decorative garden plant
OrnamentalThe striking multicolored fruit display—yellow, orange, and red peppers simultaneously on compact, bushy plants—makes Autumn Treasure an excellent ornamental specimen for borders, containers, or focal points in vegetable gardens. [source]
Container and patio growing
HouseholdCompact growth habit (12-18 inches) and prolific fruiting make Autumn Treasure ideal for growing in decorative pots, raised beds, and container gardens on patios, decks, and balconies. [source]
Color progression for visual interest
CulinaryThe peppers' natural ripening sequence from green to yellow to orange to red provides visual interest in the garden and allows harvesting at preferred flavor stages, from crisp and vegetal when green to sweet and fruity when fully red. [source]
Pollinator attraction
WildlifeThe abundant small white flowers attract bees and other pollinators throughout the growing season, supporting local pollinator populations while ensuring excellent fruit set. [source]
Harvest Tips
Harvest peppers when they reach desired size and color; green peppers can be picked early for milder flavor, or left to ripen to yellow, orange, and red for sweeter taste. Use clean pruning shears or scissors to cut peppers, leaving a short stem. Harvest regularly to encourage continued production. Peppers are fully mature and sweetest when they reach full color depth. For ornamental use, leave peppers on plant for visual effect; they will naturally drop with frost.
Fun Facts
- 🌱 Autumn Treasure peppers can display 3-4 different colors simultaneously on the same plant as fruits at different maturity stages coexist, creating a stunning rainbow effect.
- 🌱 Peppers continue to produce fruit and ripen colors throughout fall and early winter in mild climates, explaining the 'Autumn Treasure' name—they truly are a fall harvest treasure.
- 🌱 The variety's ornamental qualities are so striking that it's often grown purely as a decorative houseplant or patio specimen, making it one of few vegetables that can transition seamlessly to ornamental plantings.
Gardening Terms
New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:
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