# Mad Hatter Pepper

Species: Capsicum baccatum.

Mad Hatter Pepper is a Capsicum baccatum f1 hybrid from Illinois, United States, United States. Capsi’s sourced range is 81 SHU (Lab-verified; typical 81). Flavor is sweet, citrusy, floral, fruity, crisp. Used for Ideal for fresh eating in salads, crudités, sandwiches, and pizzas. Excellent in salsas or relishes. Can be pickled or stuffed with cheese. Unique shape adds visual appeal to dishes and gardens.. Heat is a range, not a single marketing number.
About 1/310 the typical heat of a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU).

## Heat sources

- 81 SHU · Lab-verified
  Malak Alghamdi, Thirumurugan Rathinasabapathy, Slavko Komarnytsky (2025) Int. J. Mol. Sci. · HPLC
  DOI: 10.3390/ijms26104916
  https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms26104916

- 500–1,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Mad Hatter Pepper Guide: Heat, Flavor, Uses
  https://pepperscale.com/mad-hatter-pepper/

- 500–1,000 SHU · Vendor Claim
  Mad Hatter Pepper Seeds | Tyler Farms
  https://www.tyler-farms.com/mad-hatter-pepper-seeds/

## Heritage

F1 hybrid

Mad Hatter Pepper is an F1 hybrid. Named parents aren't linked in Capsi yet.

Credit: PanAmerican Seed · 2017

Parents:
- Unknown (Unknown parent)
- Unknown (Unknown parent)

PanAmerican Seed and the 2017 AAS winner page both call Mad Hatter an F1 Capsicum baccatum and name no parents. Catalogs class it as a bishop’s-crown type; shop pages that list Bishop’s Crown as a parent only repeat an unsourced rumour.

## Page sources

- [Official All-America Selections winner page detailing plant habit, fruit characteristics, flavor, awards, and growing instructions.](https://all-americaselections.org/product/pepper-mad-hatter/)
- [Breeder PanAmerican Seed product specifications including exact dimensions, days to maturity, heat classification, and flavor notes.](https://www.panamseed.com/Products/048300001036968/pepper-mad-hatter/)
- [Detailed pepper profile with SHU range, flavor breakdown, appearance specs, origin context, and culinary suggestions.](https://pepperscale.com/mad-hatter-pepper/)
- [First-hand grower account of planting, yield, flavor differences from standard sweet peppers, and overall performance.](https://plantersplace.com/just-veggies/mad-hatter-pepper/)
- [Established specialty seed vendor confirming species, mild heat level, flavor profile, and plant vigor.](https://pepperjoe.com/products/mad-hatter-pepper-seeds)
- [Ball Seed technical page confirming scientific name, plant height/width, spacing, water needs, and cultivation requirements.](https://www.ballseed.com/PlantInfo/?phid=048300001036968)

## FAQ
### How hot is Mad Hatter Pepper?

Capsi’s sourced range is 81 SHU (Lab-verified; typical 81). 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 Mad Hatter Pepper taste like?

Sweet and refreshing with bright citrus and delicate floral notes that intensify and sweeten as the fruit matures. Crisp, crunchy texture from thinner walls. Predominantly sweet with only occasional mild warmth near the seeds in hot, dry conditions.

### How do I grow Mad Hatter Pepper?

Mad Hatter Pepper: about 85 days to maturity, adaptable to North American temperate and subtropical conditions climate, full sun, hardiness zones warm season annual (perennial possible in zones 9-11).

### What can I substitute for Mad Hatter Pepper?

Capsi does not have that recorded yet.

Page: https://web.thecapsi.app/pepper/mad-hatter-pepper
Catalog: https://web.thecapsi.app/data