It is shorter than a habanero or a Ghost/Naga Pepper, measuring between 2–3 inches in length. The Reaper shares some of the hallmark features of both its parents while retaining a unique appearance of its own.

Reaper because the pepper has a curved tail at the bottom of the pod, resembling a reaper’s scythe.

Carolina since it was created in the state of South Carolina.

The name is derived from two aspects of the pepper: Over 7 generations, HP22B was cultivated and perfected into the chili we know today as the Carolina Reaper. It was initially called the HP22B – in other words, “high power plant B from pot 22” in the master breeder’s breeding plan. When he started out, there was no clear intention to create the world’s hottest pepper.Įven with the unique parentage, the breeder was taken aback by the sheer punch of heat from one of the hybrids. Carolina Reaper Pepper Breeding Historyįascinated by the high spice levels of La Soufriere and the Pakistani Naga, the reapers’ breeder decided to experiment with the creation of an even more potent hybrid pepper.

But since Pakistan lies right next to India and shares the same culinary heritage, a Pakistani Naga is not a very far-fetched idea. Reapers’ breeder claims that he received the pepper as a gift from a Pakistani doctor.Ĭalling the pepper a Pakistani Naga has given rise to a fair bit of confusion since the country is not generally known as a center for the cultivation of such peppers. The paternal plant of the Reaper also comes with its own share of mysteries. The Naga chili and Ghost Pepper are generally acknowledged as two names of the same general cultivar. The most popular name is Bhut Jolokia from the state of Assam – it literally means “Ghost Pepper.” chinense cultivars go by different local names, which are often quite colorful. The northeastern parts of India are home to some of the hottest chilies cultivated on Earth. Grown in the fertile volcanic soil on the island, La Soufrière adds its own trademark “kick” and an element of mystery to the story of the Carolina Reaper. A crossbreed in its own right, La Soufrière pepper was selected due to its unusually high heat levels. The particular cultivar of habanero used by the reaper’s breeder was sourced from a friend who owned a resort on the island. La Soufrière is an active volcanic island in the Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and Grenadines. We do know that the plant literally has lava in its veins. The exact genetic make-up of the habanero used to breed the Reaper is not publicly known. Let’s take a closer look at the parent cultivars of the Reaper.

The Carolina Reaper is the progeny of two peppers from the list above – a variant of the Habanero from the Caribbean, and a Naga Chili from the Indian sub-continent. Bhut Jolokia/Naga Chili (North-east India).

Habanero (Caribbean, Mexico, Central America).chinense pepper variants are cultivated all around the globe. Originally a native species from the Americas, C. The pepper breeder used two exceptionally spicy cultivars of the Capsicum chinense species of chili peppers to create the Reaper. Enthusiastic breeders across the US, UK, Australia, and Europe compete with each other in an ever-escalating chili arms race. In the last half-century or so, there has been considerable interest in the quest to create the spiciest chili peppers possible. The process is quite similar to breeding animals like dogs or horses – the plants just require more care and attention. Instead, they are created from existing plant varieties (or cultivars) by master breeders. Some peppers, like the Carolina Reaper, are not naturally occurring plants. The Origin and History of Carolina Reaper A tabasco pepper is between 30,000 to 50,000 SHUs, and even the mighty habanero is far behind at 100,000 to 250,000 SHUs.

To put things in perspective, the humble jalapeño pepper has a heat level that is somewhere between 2,000 and 7,000 SHUs.

The maximum recorded heat level ever for the Reaper is around 2.2 million SHUs.

The heat level of chili peppers is measured in Scoville Heat Units (SHUs) and the Carolina Reaper has been measured to have an average heat level of 1.4 million SHUs. It is a hybrid chili pepper that was created after crossbreeding some of the hottest peppers from around the globe. What Is a Carolina Reaper Chili Pepper?Ĭarolina Reaper is officially the hottest chili pepper in the world, according to the Guinness Book of World Records. In this guide, you will find everything you need to know about the history and science behind Carolina Reaper, which has a fiery reputation of being one of the hottest peppers on this planet. If you are a fan of hot sauces or spicy peppers, you probably know something about the Carolina Reaper – the record-breaking, exceptionally flavorful chili pepper that is a unique gift to humanity.

Reaper pepper