Dorset Naga

Fruity aroma with floral sweetness and light citrus or apricot undertones that emerge before the intense heat.

Developed starting around 2001 by Joy and Michael Michaud of Sea Spring Seeds (also known as Peppers by Post) from Naga Morich plants purchased in a UK Asian grocery, the Dorset Naga was hand-selected over multiple generations for superior heat, productivity, and fruit characteristics. It ripens from green to a bright red and measures typically 2 to 3 inches (5-7.5 cm) long with a tapered, pointed shape and mildly wrinkled to smooth skin that is slightly thicker-walled and juicier than its Naga Morich parent. Heat levels have been independently tested multiple times, with recorded values from 656,000 SHU (green fruit, 2007) to over 1.5 million SHU (ripe fruit), averaging well above 1 million. The flavor offers a pleasant fruity aroma with floral, sweet, and occasional citrus or apricot notes that precede the slow-building, intense burn. It excels in hot sauces, curries, soups, stews, and powdered seasonings, though it must be handled with extreme care. The plant grows 3-4 feet tall, requires full sun and warmth (ideally greenhouse in cooler climates), and produces prolifically once established.

Selected in Dorset, England from Bangladeshi Naga Morich seeds acquired locally around 2001. After years of testing and selection for heat and traits, it was recognized as a distinct variety with Plant Variety Protection in 2009 and gained international attention for breaking heat records.