Bishop's Crown Seeds

Striking looks, gentle heat.

Bishop’s Crown is a distinctive heirloom chilli grown from seed for its unusual shape, bright flavour and dependable performance.

The variety is also known as Christmas Bell or Joker’s Hat, and once the plants start fruiting the reason is obvious: the pods form a three-lobed, skirted shape that’s unlike almost anything else in the chilli world.

Seeds germinate readily and produce vigorous seedlings that branch early, developing into tall, open plants with a long cropping season. Once flowering begins, plants set fruit continuously, often producing large numbers of pods that ripen from green to a glossy, vivid red.

Heat levels are modest — usually in the 5,000–30,000 SHU range — with most of the heat concentrated in the central core rather than the outer flesh.

That makes the thick, crunchy walls surprisingly mild and very usable, with a fresh, slightly sweet flavour. It’s a chilli that rewards selective use: remove the core for gentler heat, or leave it intact for a sharper bite.

Bishop’s Crown is valued by seed growers for its productivity, visual appeal and versatility. It’s a reliable variety that offers something genuinely different, both on the plant and in the kitchen.