Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion

Also known as Leviathan Scorpion · Gnarly Scorpion

Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion is a Capsicum chinense cultivar from Italy. Capsi’s sourced range is 650,000–1,200,000 SHU (Vendor Claim). Flavor is sweet, tangy, fruity. Used for hot sauce, chili powder, drying. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.

Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion is an unstable Italian Capsicum chinense grown for long, warty pods that finish caramel or dark red. Growers keep it for sauce and powder, not everyday cooking.

About 31 times a Capsi Jalapeño (31,902 SHU typical).

Growing

~100 days to maturity

Fruit size

8–10 cm

Flavor & Use

Slightly sweet and tangy, with little floral or bitter note. The burn arrives late and hangs in the throat.

sweettangyfruity

Culinary

hot saucechili powderdrying

About

Pods run about 8 to 10 cm, thin-walled, and covered in a crumpled, brainy skin rather than a classic scorpion stinger. They start lime green, pass through mustard, and ripen caramel, rusty brown, or dark red depending on the plant. Flavor is slightly sweet and tangy, with little floral bite. Heat is superhot and delayed, then sits in the mouth and throat. Plants reach 45 to 90 cm in full sun, yield well, and need a stake.

Backstory

Italian hobby breeder Drax Diego began circulating this line among growers around 2018. Seed shops still treat it as unfinished. Red, caramel, and brown pods show up on different plants. Baker Creek sells the caramel phenotype under its own packet name.

Appearance

ShapeElongated
ColorLime green · Mustard yellow · Caramel · Dark red
Size8–10 cm
WallThin
SkinWrinkled

Growing

SunFull
WaterModerate
ClimateSubtropical
Days to maturity100 days
Plant height45–90 cm
Soil pH6–6.8
Germination10–14 days
Spacing45 cm
HardinessZones 9-11

Heritage

Explore

Parents

Sources

FAQ

How hot is Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion?
Capsi’s sourced range is 650,000–1,200,000 SHU (Vendor Claim). 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 Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion taste like?
Slightly sweet and tangy, with little floral or bitter note. The burn arrives late and hangs in the throat.
How do I grow Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion?
Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion: about 100 days to maturity, subtropical climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
What can I substitute for Leviathan Gnarly Scorpion?
Capsi does not have that recorded yet.