HotPepperIndex
Capsicum chinense

Ghost Pepper

Assam, India
Superhot
Also known asGhost Pepper · Bhut Jolokia · Ghost Chile · Bhut Jolokia Pepper
Scoville
0SHU
Heat0%
800k–1.04M SHU · PepperScale, Chili Pepper Madness, Wikipedia

The Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) is one of the original superhot chilies, once the hottest pepper in the world. It is famous for its extreme heat combined with a surprising sweet, fruity flavor that lingers long after the burn.

Ghost peppers are small-to-medium (2–3 inches), wrinkled, and lantern-shaped with thin but juicy walls. They ripen from green to a vibrant bright red or orange-red. The skin is heavily wrinkled and the heat is extreme (800,000–1,041,000+ SHU).

Gallery

Backstory

Originating in the Assam region of India, the Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) was once the hottest pepper on Earth and held the Guinness World Record from 2007 until 2013. “Bhut” means “ghost” in Assamese, referring to the intense, lingering burn that “haunts” you. It remains a favorite among superhot enthusiasts for its complex fruity sweetness despite the extreme heat.

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Flavor

Surprisingly sweet and fruity with strong floral and tropical notes (mango, pineapple) underneath the extreme heat. The burn is fierce and long-lasting, but the flavor remains complex and pleasant.

sweetfruityfloraltropicalintense

Culinary uses

hot saucessalsasmarinadescurrieschili powdersextreme-heat challengesspice blendspickledused very sparingly

Substitutions

Trinidad ScorpionCarolina Reaper

Related variants

Appearance

Size
2-3 inches
Skin
thin, heavily wrinkled
Color
green to bright red/orange-red
Flesh
thin-walled, juicy
Shape
wrinkled, lantern-shaped, slightly elongated

Growing

Sun
full sun
Soil
well-drained fertile
Notes
Loves hot, humid conditions. Extremely productive but requires staking.
Water
consistent
Harvest
pick when fully red/orange
Plant height
3-4 ft
Days to maturity
90-110

Nutrition

Per 100g approx
Calories: 40 · Vitamin a: high · Vitamin c: very high

Origin detail

Region
Assam
Country
India
Breeder
Traditional Indian landrace

Tags

superhotbhut-jolokiaindianghost-chileextreme-heatfruity-heatassam

Sources

Huge shout-out to the breeders, growers, researchers, and seed savers linked below — their independent work is what lets us fact-check our own. Go visit them.

These references are used to verify what we publish — not as the source of the content itself. Seed catalogs, breeder pages, research papers, and cultivar databases let us cross-check every fact before it lands here. Open any card to read the original or dig deeper.

4 sources · Added May 7, 2026, 14:50 UTC · Updated May 16, 2026, 20:39 UTC
Origins
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