Carolina Reaper

Species: Capsicum chinense | Origin: USA | Pungency: Super Hot

The Carolina Reaper, also known as 'HP22B', is one of the hottest chillies in the world and was developed by American plant breeder Ed Currie (Smokin' Ed Currie), founder and owner of PuckerButt Pepper Company based in Fort Mills, South Carolina, USA. Once the Guinness World Record holder for world's hottest chilli from November 2013 until August 2023, the Carolina Reaper supposedly took 10 years to develop and is said to be a cross between a Pakistani Naga and a Red Habanero from the Caribbean island of Saint Vincent, a small, volcanic mountainous island in the Southern Caribbean. With a recorded Scoville scale rating of 1,569,300 SHU in November 2013, the Carolina Reaper earned the Guinness World Record title for world's hottest chilli when it knocked the previous officially recognised title holder, the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T, from its podium. It was tested again in 2017 and it broke its own record, with an average Scoville scale rating of 1,641,000 SHU and with peak levels measured at over 2,200,000 SHU.

The plants typically grow to about four feet in height and produce gnarly-looking, irregular-shaped chillies which start green and ripen through orange and then to fiery red. About two weeks before the ripening process begins the fruit turns a darker shade of green, which is typical for most superhot varieties, and they have the typical pimply skin texture (rough exocarp) that one would expect from a superhot variety. The prolificacy of the plants can vary greatly from accession to accession, and the fruit, although best described as irregular in shape, can vary from 7-Pot-like (of which there are numerous phenotypes), Moruga Scorpion-like and Bhut Jolokia-like. Some of the chillies also develop the classical scorpion-like stinger tail, a genetic trait which is mostly synonymous with the Trinidad Scorpion.

The Carolina Reaper has a very strong bleach-like aroma and can quickly turn heads, and if you have what it takes to scurry on past the camp fire without tripping over a bramble or a log and falling face-first into the flames then you'll also discover that it has an irresistible lure which comes in the form of a delicious tropical fruitiness. Used by modern witches for causing nationwide droughts, killing garden lawns and taming unruly Jezebels and twisted fire starters alike, the Carolina Reaper is a valuable weapon for all practitioners involved in the dark arts and no cauldron stew would ever be the same without it!

Page published on: 18th August 2026