Devil's Tongue Chocolate Pepper

Also known as Chocolate Devil's Tongue · Brown Devil's Tongue · Devil's Tongue Brown

A rare color variant of the Devil's Tongue pepper developed by an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania in the 1990s. It produces elongated, wrinkled pods that mature to a deep chocolate brown with a fruity, nutty flavor and intense heat comparable to habaneros or Fatalii peppers. Excellent for hot sauces, salsas, and powders.

Flavor & Use

Slightly fruity and nutty with a subtle earthy undertone, less citrus-forward than red or yellow Devil's Tongue variants.

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Culinary

salsashot saucesspice powdersseasoningpickling

About

The Devil's Tongue Chocolate Pepper is a Capsicum chinense cultivar that emerged as a spontaneous color variant among Red Devil's Tongue plants on an Amish farm in Pennsylvania during the 1990s. Pods are elongated and habanero-like, typically 3.5 inches long by 1.5 inches wide, with a wrinkled, tongue-shaped form that tapers to a slender point; they start green and ripen to a rich chocolate brown. The flavor profile features subtle fruity and nutty notes with an earthy undertone, making it slightly less vibrant than the red or yellow versions. Heat levels range from 125,000 to 500,000 Scoville Heat Units, placing it firmly in the superhot category—hotter than most habaneros but with a flavor that lingers nicely in cooked applications. The plants grow 36-48 inches tall with light green foliage and white flowers, yielding well in full sun. It is prized by chili enthusiasts for its unique appearance and versatility in fresh salsas, fiery hot sauces, and dehydrated spice blends. Some pods occasionally show scorpion-like shapes due to its unstable genetics. Handle with care and gloves, as with all superhot peppers.

Backstory

Developed in the 1990s by an Amish farmer in Pennsylvania, often appearing spontaneously among Red Devil's Tongue plants; stabilized as a distinct chocolate-brown variety.

Appearance

ShapeElongated, wrinkled, tongue-like with tapered tip; occasional scorpion shapes
ColorGreen · Chocolate brown
Size7–9 cm
WallMedium
SkinWrinkled

Growing

SunFull
WaterModerate
ClimateSubtropical
Days to maturity100 days
Plant height90–122 cm
Soil pH6–7
Germination14–28 days
Spacing60 cm
HardinessZones 9-11

Heritage

We don't have a documented family for this pepper yet.

Sources