# Carolina Reaper

Also known as HP22B, Reaper, Smokin' Ed's Carolina Reaper.
Species: Capsicum chinense.

Carolina Reaper is a Capsicum chinense stabilized from Fort Mill, South Carolina, United States. Capsi’s sourced range is 1,046,000–3,006,330 SHU (Lab-verified; typical 1,335,466). Flavor is fruity, sweet, floral, cherry, cinnamon. Used for extreme hot sauces, eating challenges, tiny amounts in cooking, fermented mashes, spice powders. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.
About 53 times a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU typical).

## Heat sources

- 3,006,330 SHU · Lab-verified
  Liliana S. Muñoz-Ramírez et al. (2018) HortScience · HPLC
  DOI: 10.21273/HORTSCI13574-18
  https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI13574-18

- 1,046,000 SHU · Lab-verified
  Lars Duelund, Ole G. Mouritsen (2017) Food Chemistry · HPLC
  DOI: 10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.11.074
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodchem.2016.11.074

- 1,335,466 SHU · Lab-verified
  Dennis N. Lozada, Danise L. Coon, Ivette Guzmán, Paul W. Bosland (2021) Scientia Horticulturae · HPLC
  DOI: 10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110088
  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scienta.2021.110088

- 1,400,000–2,200,000 SHU · Official breeder
  (2017) Guinness World Records · HPLC
  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Reaper

## Heritage

Stabilized

Carolina Reaper is a stabilized line from Pakistani Naga and La Soufrière habanero.

Credit: Ed Currie · 2012

Parents:
- Pakistani Naga (Not a named variety)
- La Soufrière habanero (Not a named variety)

Peppers bred from Carolina Reaper:
- [California Reaper](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/california-reaper)
- [Repo Mang](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/repo-mang)
- [Apollo Pepper](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/apollo-pepper)
- [Pepper X](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/pepper-x)
- [KS StarrRacha Hornet](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/ks-starrracha-hornet)
- [Deadpool Peach](https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/deadpool-peach)

Currie’s interviews name a Pakistani Naga × a La Soufrière pepper from Saint Vincent, selected over many years as HP22B. Neither parent is a standalone named cultivar; shop pages stay silent on the cross.

## Page sources

- [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Reaper](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carolina_Reaper)
- [https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/](https://puckerbuttpeppercompany.com/)
- [https://pepperhead.com/carolina-reaper/](https://pepperhead.com/carolina-reaper/)
- [NC State Extension horticultural and cultivation information](https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/capsicum-chinense/common-name/carolina-reaper/)
- [Royal Horticultural Society cultivar profile](https://www.rhs.org.uk/plants/346587/capsicum-chinense-carolina-reaper/details)
- [Cultivation characteristics and fruit description](https://www.gardenia.net/plant/capsicum-chinense-carolina-reaper-pepper)
- [Guinness World Records documentation of Carolina Reaper heat record](https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/hottest-chili)

## FAQ
### How hot is Carolina Reaper?

Capsi’s sourced range is 1,046,000–3,006,330 SHU (Lab-verified; typical 1,335,466). 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 Carolina Reaper taste like?

Surprisingly sweet and fruity with cherry and floral notes at first, followed by an extremely intense, slow-building, and very long-lasting heat that many describe as "molten lava".

### How do I grow Carolina Reaper?

Carolina Reaper: about 105 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 10-12.

### What can I substitute for Carolina Reaper?

ghost-pepper, 7-pot-primo, trinidad-scorpion

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/carolina-reaper
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data