Carolina Reaper

Heat level: 10 +++ (average 1.569.300 SHU)

General info: From November 2013 until October 2023, the Carolina Reaper variety has held the world record of the worlds hottest chili for over ten years (Guinness Book of Records). It was bred by Ed Currie of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in South Carolina (USA). He breeds extra-hot chillies for cancer research (The fact that chili helps with cancer has now been proven many times by several scientists). To date, it is not clear which species Ed Curry has crossbred for the Carolina Reaper. But there have already emerged myths, such as it is a cross between a Pakistani Naga Morich and a Caribbean habanero found on a volcano.
Initially, this breeding was called HP22B, which means "Higher Power, Pot No. 22, Plant B". When it was clear that this variety had consistently high levels of heat and could possibly set a record, a new name was found: "Carolina" stands for the origin in the US-state Carolina and "Reaper" refers to the deadly grim reaper to describe the almost deathly heat of this chili. The tested average heat values by the Chile Pepper Institute were 1,569,300 scoville heat units (SHU), with individual specimens bringing it to a remarkable 2.2 million SHU. Even chili-heads should not eat a whole pod at once (and according to the breeder never unaccompanied). Untrained people should not try them and children should be kept away from the chillies!

Plant growth habit: The plants of the Carolina Reaper grow bushy and become up to 90 cm in height. Their flowers are white and the elongated, tapering fruits have a very long maturation period of 100 to 160 days. The pods mature from green to orange to red and show a pronounced pointed spine like the Trinidad Scorpion. The uneven surface resembles in appearance the Bhut Jolokia.

Cultivation tips: The Carolina Reaper requires a lot of heat during cultivation, while the pods have a long maturation time. From sowing to harvest, 130 days may pass, so you should begin sowing in December or January on the window sill (greenhouse) and consider a cultivation in pots. You should also ensure a constant high germination temperature of at least 24° C. The plants need a lot of sunlight and heat like all chillies, and a humid, but never wet soil. To avoid stagnant soil moisture provide the pots with a drainage layer. If you cultivate the plants in the pot, you can put them indoors when the temperature drops below 12° C so that all fruits can ripen. To keep the plant over the winter, cut it back by 20 cm after harvesting and place in a light place where it is at least 15°C.

Here you can get Carolina Reaper seeds in our shop.

Culinary: The fruits of the Carolina Reaper are aromatic, fruity-sweet with notes of chocolate-cherry, a hint of citrus and of course extremely hot. They are hardly suitable for pure food and should also be kept out of the reach of children, but extreme heat lovers can create chili sauces and pickles in vinegar or oil. They are also suitable for freezing. Due to their thin fruit walls, they are also good for drying and making into chili powder.