Carolina Reaper
The Carolina Reaper is a cultivar of the Capsicum chinense plant, developed by American breeder Ed Currie. The pepper is red and gnarled, with a bumpy texture and a small pointed tail.
- field
- Agriculture / Chili pepper breeding
- nationality
- American
- developer
- Ed Currie
- peak_heat
- 2.2 million SHU (individual claim)
Lore & Background
It took over 10 years to develop. During November of that year, a reporter from NPR visited Currie to try the new pepper. It was later claimed through media outlets such as the Associated Press that an individual Carolina Reaper had a heat level of 2.2 million SHU. The Reaper has been described as having a fruity taste, with the initial bite being sweet and then immediately turning to 'molten lava.' The sensory heat or pungency detected when eating a Carolina Reaper derives from the density of capsaicinoids, particularly capsaicin, which relates directly to the intensity of chili pepper heat and Scoville Heat Units (SHU). He suggested growing the plants in 30–40 cm (12–16 in) pots to restrict growth and produce fruit sooner. When fully ripe, two peppers occupy the palm of the hand.
Reader's Guide
The Reaper's fruity taste and intense heat made it a cultural phenomenon, featured in challenges and media. Its cultivation, requiring temperatures above 18°C and pot growing, made it accessible to home growers. The pepper's name, derived from its sickle-like tail, and the anecdote of a reporter hallucinating after tasting it, contributed to its notoriety. The Carolina Reaper remains a key reference point in the history of chili pepper heat.
Did You Know?
- The Carolina Reaper was developed by crossing a La Soufrière Habanero from Saint Vincent and a Naga pepper (Ghost pepper) from Assam.
- A reporter from NPR who tasted the pepper reportedly rolled on the floor, hallucinated, and shared the experience with national media.
- It was later claimed by the Associated Press that an individual Carolina Reaper had a heat level of 2.2 million SHU.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who bred the Carolina Reaper?
American chili breeder Ed Currie developed the Carolina Reaper as a cultivar of Capsicum chinense. He is also the person behind Pepper X, the pepper that later dethroned it.
How hot is the Carolina Reaper?
Its certified average sits at roughly 1.64 million Scoville Heat Units, while individual specimens have been claimed to hit 2.2 million SHU. That heat level kept it atop the global rankings for a full decade.
What does a Carolina Reaper look like?
It is a small, red, gnarled fruit with a distinctly bumpy surface and a short pointed tail. The irregular, lumpy shape is one of its most instantly recognizable traits.
What species does the Carolina Reaper belong to?
It is a cultivar of Capsicum chinense, the same species that includes habaneros and scorpion peppers. Currie selectively bred it to push heat far beyond what that species typically produces.
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