Caribbean Red Habanero
Also known as West Indies Red Habanero · Caribbean Red
The Caribbean Red Habanero is a red-ripe Capsicum chinense kitchen-garden type from the Caribbean and Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Pods keep the familiar habanero fruit-and-citrus character and finish a brighter red than the common orange habanero.
About 9 times a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU typical).
Growing
~110 days to maturity
Fruit size
2.5–5 cm
Flavor & Use
Tropical fruity aroma with bright citrus notes, a hint of smokiness, and increasing sweetness when fully ripe
Culinary
About
Fruit ripens from lime green through orange to a bright glossy red. Pods are lantern-shaped, slightly wrinkled, and about 1 to 2 inches long on a compact bushy plant that usually stands 2 to 4 feet. Flavor is tropical and citrusy with a light smokiness that sweetens as the fruit colors up. Heat is high, often described as hotter than a common orange habanero. Cooks use it in hot sauce, salsa, stew, stir-fry, jerk seasoning, and Yucatecan dishes. Yields are heavy and plants take well to a large container if staked. Wear gloves.
Backstory
This is a place-kept red habanero, not a named modern hybrid. Tomato Growers says the seed was found in the Caribbean. Reimer and Sandia place it on the Yucatán Peninsula. Baker Creek sells the West Indies Red listing as a classic Caribbean kitchen-garden heirloom. Cooper at CARDI-Antigua cleaned West Indies Red seed from collected stock in the late 1980s.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreCaribbean Red Habanero is a traditional landrace.
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Caribbean Red Habanero?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 200,000–225,000 SHU (Lab-verified; typical 225,000). Capsi uses a sourced range and a trust tier, not a single marketing number. How we verify heat: https://web.thecapsi.app/learn/heat-and-capsaicin/how-we-measure-heat
- What does Caribbean Red Habanero taste like?
- Tropical fruity aroma with bright citrus notes, a hint of smokiness, and increasing sweetness when fully ripe
- How do I grow Caribbean Red Habanero?
- Caribbean Red Habanero: about 110 days to maturity, tropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Caribbean Red Habanero?
- Habanero