Carolina Reaper

Carolina Reaper Seed Information

1600000 SHU!?!  Wow!  Carolina Reaper seeds may not seem daunting but potential for much pain is within the tiny seed coats.  This is an estimate for what you’ll grow from these Carolina reaper seeds.  Not only is this plant the alleged hottest (much debate, see some of our other superhots in the Blazing Bundle)  it also very productive.

Are Carolina Reapers hard to grow?

Like all peppers, nutrient rich soil is essential for the plant to reach its potential – compost and fertilizer!   Use caution handling and processing superhots.  Wear gloves when cutting the fruit.  The oils can penetrate latex and vinyl gloves.  Nitrile gloves are best.  Expect a longer germination time than most other peppers.

How do you germinate Carolina Reaper seeds?

Superhot peppers tend to take longer to germinate than other peppers – and take much longer than typical vegetable seeds. We are not talking about Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis in Some Like it Hot – when it comes to chinense species peppers – they all like it hot!  A heat mat, top of a refrigerator, or other warm surface that 

How long does it take for Carolina Reaper seeds to fruit?

It seems to take forever – much like watching water boil. In southwest Ohio, if transplanted in early May, expect fruit to develop in June and finally turn red a month (3-6 weeks) later – into July. Once they start, you will be swimming in reaper pods!

Additional Growing Information

Scoville ratings will change based on growing conditions. Rarer superhots may still have genetic instability in heat expression.  The Carolina reaper heat levels are wildly dependent on growing conditions.  A drier environment during the ripening phase will stress the plant and result in higher capsaicin content.