Carolina Reaper

Carolina Reaper is widely recognized as one of the hottest peppers in the world, combining extreme heat with a surprisingly sweet, fruity undertone beneath the intensity. This variety is intended for experienced growers and serious heat enthusiasts only.

Plants are vigorous and productive, producing distinctive wrinkled, bumpy peppers with a pointed tail that ripen from green to bright red. Because of the extreme heat level, careful handling is essential.

Heat Level

Extreme / super-hot

Commonly rated 1.6-2.2 million Scoville Heat Units

Plant Details

Botanical name: Capsicum chinense

Growth habit: Upright, bushy, and productive

Sun: Full sun

Spacing: 45-60 cm (18-24")

Container friendly: Yes; performs well in large containers

Support: Recommended as plants become heavily loaded with fruit

Fruit and Harvest

Carolina Reaper peppers are thin-walled, intensely hot, and highly aromatic. Harvest when fruits are fully red and firm. Gloves are strongly recommended when harvesting and handling; avoid contact with eyes and skin.

Excellent for:

Extreme-heat hot sauces

Small-batch chili pastes

Drying and grinding into powder

Fermentation (use sparingly)

Why Buy a Starter Plant?

Super-hot peppers have slow germination and long growing seasons. Starting with an established plant provides:

Faster establishment

Earlier fruiting in cooler climates

Greater reliability than starting from seed

Grown With Care

Our starter plants are grown without chemical pesticides and gradually hardened for outdoor conditions, producing strong, healthy plants ready for transplanting once soil temperatures are consistently warm.

Well suited for: experienced gardeners, hot sauce makers, chili competitors, and anyone seeking the upper limits of pepper heat with complex flavour.