The Carolina Reaper is officially the hottest pepper on record, with an alarming 1.5 million Scoville Heat Units, and has peaked at 2.2 million. The smallish peppers mature from green to fire engine red, and are gnarled and bumpy with a distinctive pointed tip that some growers call "the stinger.”

Super hot peppers can be somewhat challenging to grow. The seeds can be difficult to germinate and they need a long, hot season to produce fruit. Start indoors early and use bottom heat and seedling domes to create the warm, humid conditions they need to germinate. Be patient as germination may take 21-28 days or longer, even under ideal conditions. Maturity - 120 days. Please take extreme caution when handling the seeds and eventual fruits they produce.