Sugar Rush Red
Also known as Aji Sugar Rush Red
Sugar Rush Red is a prolific Capsicum baccatum cultivar known for its sweet, fruity flavor and moderate heat. Bred by Chris Fowler in Wales from an accidental cross originating in Finland, it descends from South American Aji peppers. The peppers ripen to a vibrant red and are prized for fresh eating and sauces.
About 4 times a Capsi Jalapeño (25,086 SHU typical).
Growing
~110 days to maturity
Fruit size
7–10 cm
Flavor & Use
Sweet and tropical with apricot, peach, and citrus notes that transition into a medium, lingering heat.
Culinary
About
Sugar Rush Red peppers are elongated, glossy, and wrinkled pods that grow to about 3 inches in length with a tapered, pointed tip. They start green and mature to a bright red color, often with a slightly curved or irregular shape typical of baccatum varieties. The flavor profile is exceptionally sweet and complex, featuring prominent notes of apricot, peach, citrus, and tropical fruit upfront, followed by a medium, lingering heat that builds gradually without overwhelming the palate. This makes them excellent for fresh snacking, salsas, hot sauces, and drying into flavorful powders. The plants are tall and highly productive, often reaching 5 feet or more with support, and produce abundant yields over a long season, though pods take time to fully ripen to red. As a baccatum, they feature the characteristic white flowers with yellow anthers and are well-suited to warm climates but adaptable to containers with proper care.
Backstory
The Sugar Rush series originated from an accidental cross of a sweet C. baccatum plant in Fatalii.net's experimental greenhouse in Finland around 2009-2010. Seeds were shared with Welsh grower Chris Fowler, who stabilized and developed color variants including Red and Peach through further selection. The base genetics trace to Peruvian Aji peppers.
Appearance
Growing
Heritage
ExploreSugar Rush Red is a stabilized line. Named parents aren't linked in Capsi yet.
Chris Fowler
Parents
Peppers bred from Sugar Rush Red
Sources
FAQ
- How hot is Sugar Rush Red?
- Capsi’s sourced range is 50,000–150,000 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 Sugar Rush Red taste like?
- Sweet and tropical with apricot, peach, and citrus notes that transition into a medium, lingering heat.
- How do I grow Sugar Rush Red?
- Sugar Rush Red: about 110 days to maturity, long-season subtropical/warm climate, full sun, hardiness zones 9-11.
- What can I substitute for Sugar Rush Red?
- Sugar Rush Peach, Aji Amarillo, mild habanero