7 Pot Red Pepper

Habanero-like fruity and nutty flavor with distinct tropical Caribbean notes; the searing heat builds rapidly after the pleasant initial taste.

The 7 Pot Red Pepper (also called Trinidad 7 Pot or 7 Pod) is a superhot landrace chile pepper of the species Capsicum chinense originating from the Chaguanas region of Trinidad. The pods are roughly habanero-shaped but often more plump, ripening from green to bright red with characteristically wrinkled, pimpled skin. They measure about 1.5–2 inches and deliver extreme heat in the 1,000,000–1,200,000 SHU range alongside a desirable fruity, nutty, and tropical flavor. Historically grown in small-scale rural settings rather than commercial fields, the variety remained relatively rare until the superhot movement popularized Caribbean chinense types. In Trinidad it features in local stews, sauces, and fish dishes and has even been used in industrial applications such as tear gas and anti-fouling marine paint.

The name comes from the Caribbean legend that a single pod supplies enough heat to spice seven pots of stew. It is a relatively obscure traditional landrace from Trinidad that gained wider attention during the global superhot boom. Some accounts note it was found growing in uncultivated fields; it has also seen limited industrial use in Trinidad for military-grade tear gas and barnacle-resistant marine paint.