How to Grow White Champion Pepper

Wikimedia Commons

White Champion Pepper

Capsicum annuum

vegetable

White Champion is a prolific bell pepper variety that produces creamy white fruits that ripen from green to ivory white at maturity. Known for its tender, thin-walled peppers with a sweet, mild flavor, it's an excellent choice for fresh eating, stuffing, and cooking. This compact plant is relatively early-maturing compared to other bell pepper varieties.

When should you plant White Champion Pepper in your zone?

Get a personalized planting timeline — when to start seeds, transplant, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Free to start.

Get my White Champion Pepper timeline →

Example White Champion Pepper timeline · Pittsburgh, PA (Zone 6b)

Plant White Champion Pepper
Around Apr 17

Near Pittsburgh's average last spring frost.
Tend & protect
Late spring–summer

Watering, feeding, and pest-watch reminders.
Harvest White Champion Pepper
Around Jun 16

≈ 60 days after planting

Sample dates for Pittsburgh, PA. Sign up to get exact White Champion Pepper dates for your own zip code.

Growing Conditions

☀️

Sun: Full sun, 8-10 hours daily; minimum 6 hours required

💧

Water: Consistent moisture; water deeply 1-2 inches per week. Keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Reduce watering slightly once plants are established. Mulch to retain moisture and regulate soil temperature.

📏

Spacing: 18 inches

📅

Days to maturity: 60-90 days from transplant (peppers may be harvested green or left to mature white)

🌱

Planting depth: 0.25 inches for seeds; same depth as container for transplants

Soil

Type: Well-draining loamy soil rich in organic matter

pH: 6.0-6.8

Amendments:

Aged compost Peat moss or coconut coir Balanced fertilizer (10-10-10 or similar) Perlite for improved drainage

Growing Zones

Find your zone →

Thrives in zones 5-10; can be grown in zones 3-4 with season extension techniques

2b 3a 3b 4a 4b 5a 5b 6a 6b 7a 7b 8a 8b 9a 9b 10a 10b 11a 11b

Get my White Champion Pepper timeline →

Growth Stages

Seed Germination

7-14 days

Seeds sprout and develop first true leaves; seedlings are delicate with narrow cotyledons.

Keep soil warm (70-85°F) and consistently moist. Provide 14-16 hours of light daily under grow lights. Thin seedlings to prevent damping off.

Seedling Development

3-4 weeks

True leaves emerge; plants develop 2-4 sets of leaves and establish a small root system.

Maintain warm conditions and bright light. Begin gentle air circulation with a fan. Water when top of soil is dry to touch. Begin fertilizing with dilute fertilizer every 2-3 weeks.

Vegetative Growth

3-4 weeks

Plants develop bushy branching structure with multiple stems; leaves are glossy green and increasingly robust.

Transplant to larger containers as needed. Harden off seedlings 7-10 days before outdoor planting. After transplanting outdoors, stake or cage for support. Continue consistent watering and feeding.

Flowering & Fruiting

4-8 weeks (flowers to mature peppers)

White flowers appear at branch tips; small green peppers develop and enlarge. Plants produce multiple fruits simultaneously.

Maintain consistent watering and apply balanced fertilizer every 2-3 weeks. Provide mulch to regulate soil temperature. Thin fruit if desired for larger peppers, or leave all for prolific production. Support heavy-laden branches.

Maturity & Harvest

6-10 weeks (continuing production)

Peppers reach full size; fruits transition from green to creamy white when fully ripe. Plants continue producing new flowers and fruit.

Harvest peppers regularly to encourage continued production. Use pruning shears to avoid damaging branches. Continue watering and feeding through growing season. In cool climates, cover plants or bring indoors before first frost.

Companion Planting

Plan your garden →

Plant with:

Basil Onion Carrot Spinach Marigold Parsley Thyme Borage Tomato

Avoid planting near:

Fennel Kohlrabi Cabbage family (brassicas) Dill Rue

Common Pests

Spray with water to dislodge; use neem oil or insecticidal soap; increase humidity; introduce predatory mites
Strong water spray; insecticidal soap; neem oil; attract beneficial insects like ladybugs; reflective mulches
Remove affected leaves; use blue sticky traps; spray with neem oil or spinosad; encourage beneficial insects
Remove and destroy infested fruit; use reflective mulch; apply spinosad or pyrethrin; till soil after harvest
Yellow sticky traps; insecticidal soap; neem oil; vacuum insects from leaves; encourage natural predators
Maintain consistent soil moisture; add calcium (crushed eggshells, gypsum); mulch to regulate moisture; avoid excessive nitrogen

Uses

🍳

Fresh eating and salads

Culinary

White Champion peppers have a mild, sweet flavor and tender thin walls making them ideal for fresh consumption, slicing into salads, or eating raw as a snack. Their unique white color adds visual interest to dishes. [source]

🍳

Stuffing and roasting

Culinary

The substantial yet thin-walled fruit is perfect for stuffing with grains, meats, or vegetables. They roast beautifully and develop a subtle sweetness when charred. [source]

🍳

Pickling and preservation

Culinary

White Champion peppers can be pickled whole or in strips for long-term storage, maintaining their attractive color and crisp texture. [source]

💊

Vitamin C and antioxidants

Medicinal

Like all bell peppers, White Champion is rich in vitamin C, vitamin A, and antioxidants that support immune function and overall health. The white pigmentation indicates different phytochemical compounds than green or red peppers. [source]

🎨

Ornamental garden feature

Craft

The compact, prolific plants bearing abundant white fruits serve as attractive ornamental specimens in garden displays, especially when contrasted against green foliage. [source]

This is not medical advice. LizPlants is not a medical resource. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional before using plants medicinally.

Harvest Tips

White Champion peppers can be harvested at the green stage or left on the plant to mature to creamy white (usually 2-3 weeks after reaching full size). For white color and maximum sweetness, allow peppers to fully ripen. Harvest in the morning when peppers are firm. Cut peppers with pruning shears rather than pulling to avoid branch damage. Regular harvesting encourages continued production throughout the season. Peppers will keep 1-2 weeks refrigerated in a plastic bag.

Fun Facts

🌱 White Champion peppers remain white even when fully mature, unlike many pepper varieties that transition to red or orange, making them a unique choice for gardeners seeking visual diversity in the pepper patch.
🌱 Bell peppers are technically berries botanically, and the White Champion variety produces some of the highest yields per plant among white-fruited pepper varieties when given consistent care.
🌱 The variety was developed to bring the unusual white color to earlier-maturing, prolific varieties, making it popular among both home gardeners and commercial growers seeking a mid-season white pepper option.

Gardening Terms

New to gardening? Learn about terms used in this guide:

Damping Off Full Sun Mulch Transplant True Leaves

Shop White Champion Pepper plants and related plants at Plant Addicts →

Join 30,000 gardeners planning their gardens with LizPlants.

Get your personalized White Champion Pepper planting timeline

Tell us your zip code and we'll calculate exactly when to start White Champion Pepper seeds, transplant seedlings, and harvest — based on your USDA zone and local frost dates. Includes calendar reminders and printable task lists. Free to start.

Get my White Champion Pepper timeline →