Most pepper varieties start green before ripening to their final color — but a significant number produce pods that are purple, black, cream, ivory, or variegated at the immature stage. These colors result from anthocyanin pigmentation, chlorophyll reduction, or genetic patterns that express before ripening. This list catalogs known varieties that deviate from the standard green immature stage.
Quick Reference
- Purple/black immature pods: anthocyanin expression, common in ornamental and some food varieties
- Cream/ivory/white immature pods: reduced chlorophyll, not absence of color genes
- Variegated/striped: pattern genes affecting pigment distribution
- All varieties on this list ripen to a different final color (red, orange, yellow, etc.)
Non-Green Immature Pod Varieties
| Variety | Immature Color |
| Purple Jalapeño | Dark purple/black |
| Black Pearl | Glossy blackish-purple |
| Fish Pepper | Creamy white with green stripes |
| Filius Blue | Dark purple |
| NuMex Twilight | Purple |
| Purple Beauty Bell | Purple |
| Royal Black | Very dark purple |
| Trifetti (Variegated) | Variegated cream/green/purple |
| Bolivian Rainbow | Purple |
| Chupetinho Black | Dark purple |
| Pimenta da Neyde | Black/purple |
| Aurora | Purple |
| Cajun Belle | Ivory to yellow |
| Snow White | Ivory |
| Alba Regia | Creamy white |
| Prairie Fire | Purple |
| Sangria | Purple |
| Explosive Ember | Purple |
| Chinese Five Color | Purple |
| Masquerade | Purple |
| Buena Mulata | Purple |
| Purple UFO | Purple |
| Poinsettia | Purple |
| Black Hungarian | Dark purple |
| Chenzo | Purple |
| Purple Flash | Blackish-purple |
| Peruvian Purple | Purple |
| Purple Serrano | Purple |
| Variegated Fish | Creamy white/green variegated |
| Lavender Bell | Lavender |
| Aji Fantasy Stripey | Creamy yellow with striping |
| Pimenta Puma | Dark purple |
| Pimenta Leopard | Dark purple with variegation |
| Sugar Rush Peach Stripey | Creamy peach with striping |
| Purple Cayenne | Dark purple |
| Midnight Dreams | Purple-black |
| Pimenta de Cheiro Roxa | Purple |
| Candy Cane Stripe | White with green stripes |
| NuMex Easter | Purple |
| Czech Black | Dark purple |
| Hungarian Black Cherry | Dark purple |
| Black Olive | Dark purple |
| NuMex Centennial | Purple |
| Fairy Tale | Lavender purple |
| Purple Prince | Dark purple |
| Violetta Lunga | Purple |
| Royal Purple Thai | Purple |
| Blue Christmas | Purple |
| Purple Flash Ornamental | Purple-black |
| Explosive Dragon | Purple |
| Purple Candlelight | Purple |
| Little Elf | Purple |
| Masquerade Ornamentals | Purple |
| NuMex Centennial Variegated | Purple with striping |
| Bishop’s Crown Purple | Purple |
| Chenzo Ornamentals | Purple |
| Pimenta Venenosa | Dark purple |
| Pimenta Puma Strain | Dark purple |
| Buena Mulata Ornamental | Purple |
| Purple Splash | Purple |
| Midnight Star | Purple-black |
| Purple Starburst | Purple |
| Purple Delight | Purple |
| Galaxy Purple | Purple |
| Aurora Borealis | Purple |
| Prairie Sun | Purple |
| NuMex Easter Ornamental | Purple |
| Royal Black Strain | Purple-black |
| Bolivian Rainbow Strain | Purple |
| Chupetinho Roxa | Purple |
| Purple Top Hat | Purple |
| Pimenta Leopard Strain | Purple |
| Purple Cayenne Strain | Purple |
Grower’s Takeaway
- Purple immature pods are driven by anthocyanin expression — the same pigment that makes eggplant purple and blueberries blue
- Anthocyanin expression often fades as pods ripen to red or orange; the final ripe color is genetically separate from the immature color
- Cream and ivory pods have reduced chlorophyll, not absence of color genes — they still ripen to normal red, orange, or yellow
- Variegated and striped patterns in immature pods (Fish Pepper, Candy Cane) are caused by pattern genes that affect pigment distribution across the pod surface
Sources & Further Reading
- Priest, C.T., and D.J. Austin. The Chile Pepper Almanac. Harambe Publishing, 2026. Amazon