How hot is Chocolate Habanero?

Capsi’s sourced range is 301,065 SHU (Official breeder). 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

How do I grow Chocolate Habanero?

Chocolate Habanero: about 100 days to maturity, tropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.

What can I substitute for Chocolate Habanero?

orange habanero (with reduced smokiness and lower heat), Scotch bonnet (similar heat but different shape and flavor)

Chocolate Habanero (Black Habanero)

Also known as Black Habanero · Habanero Negro · Congo Black · Dark Habanero · Jamaican Chocolate

The Chocolate Habanero is a dark brown cultivar of the habanero pepper (Capsicum chinense) from the Caribbean. It is valued for its intense heat and earthy, smoky flavor over a sweet fruity base. Plants produce lantern-shaped pods and are used in salsas, hot sauces, and Jamaican jerk.

About 12 times a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU typical).

Growing

~100 days to maturity

Fruit size

5–8 cm

Flavor & Use

Sweet and fruity base with prominent earthy and smoky undertones.

sweetfruityearthysmoky

Culinary

salsashot saucesJamaican jerk saucemole sauceschili rubsBBQ marinades

About

Pods ripen from emerald green to a rich dark chocolate brown. They are typically 2 to 3 inches long, lantern-shaped with wrinkled skin and thick walls. The flavor is sweet and fruity with clear earthy and smoky notes. Growers use it in salsas, hot sauces, mole, chili rubs, and Jamaican jerk. Plants are bushy, usually 24 to 36 inches tall, and need a long warm season (often 90 to 110 days from transplant). They do well in full sun and containers with consistent moisture and well-draining soil.

Backstory

The Chocolate Habanero is a traditional Caribbean color variant of the habanero (Capsicum chinense), long kept as an open-pollinated type in Jamaica and Trinidad. It is also called Black Habanero or Habanero Negro. It takes longer to mature than many orange habaneros.

Appearance

ShapeLantern

ColorGreen · Chocolate brown

Size5–8 cm

WallThick

SkinWrinkled

Growing

SunFull

WaterModerate

ClimateTropical

Days to maturity100 days

Plant height60–90 cm

Soil pH6–7

Germination7–14 days

Spacing45 cm

HardinessZones 9-11

Heritage

Explore

Chocolate Habanero is a traditional landrace.

Sources

FAQ

How hot is Chocolate Habanero?: Capsi’s sourced range is 301,065 SHU (Official breeder). 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 Chocolate Habanero taste like?: Sweet and fruity base with prominent earthy and smoky undertones.
How do I grow Chocolate Habanero?: Chocolate Habanero: about 100 days to maturity, tropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
What can I substitute for Chocolate Habanero?: orange habanero (with reduced smokiness and lower heat), Scotch bonnet (similar heat but different shape and flavor)