The infamous Carolina Reaper Chili Pepper
The Carolina Reaper chili pepper variety held the crown for the hottest chili until recently! With being able to reach over 1,500,000 points yes that’s 1.5 Million points on the Scoville scale and up to 2.2 millions!. The Carolina Reaper chili pepper with its stinger tail, is gnarled and bumpy and not to be messed with! At about 4 cm long and 3cm wide, it ripens to red. The Carolina Reaper is not for the faint hearted and should be handled with extreme caution and care! Avoid contact with skin and eyes!!! Recommend using gloves and mask while handling.
It is most often used to add heat to chili sauces and a little goes a long way!! Beneath the heat, it is said to have a sweet and fruity background with cherry flavors.
Scientific Name: Capsicum Chinense
Plant Life Cycle: annual
Optimal Germination Temperature: 25C-29C
Germination time in days: 10-21 days
Indicative Days to maturity: 60-90 days
Sunlight: full sun
Soil requirement: well drained, non acidic
Sowing and cultivation:
Soak for 6-12hrs, Sow indoors early spring .5mm deep, 2" apart at a soil temperature of at least 25°C and as temperature effects germination speed with lower temp taking longer the higher end will help with some reporting 28°C/29°C being best. Also having them in a sunny spot will help as they need light esp. once growing. Water enough but not too much. The plant is sensitive to temperature variations. Transplant outdoors when temperatures have warmed up and the last chance of frost has passed. Plant row apart 24". It is advised to grow this pepper in a greenhouse or sunny sheltered spot since they need high temperature to grow
