Carolina Reaper

The Carolina Reaper is a Capsicum chinense cultivar developed in the United States by Ed Currie, founder of the PuckerButt Pepper Company in Fort Mill, South Carolina. It was officially recorded at an average heat level of 1,641,183 Scoville Heat Units and held the Guinness World Record as the world's hottest chilli pepper from 2013 until 2023.

The cultivar is commonly described as a cross between a Pakistani Naga-type pepper and a Red Habanero, producing small, heavily wrinkled red pods with a pointed tail. The plants exhibit typical Capsicum chinense growth habits and produce thin-walled fruits with extreme pungency and a strong fruity aroma.

There has been long-standing controversy surrounding its lineage. Some growers and pepper researchers believe the Carolina Reaper may be closely related to, or derived from, the 7 Pot Primo rather than a distinct cross, citing similarities in pod shape, tail formation, and plant structure. Despite this debate, the Carolina Reaper remains formally recognised as a stabilised cultivar developed and released by Ed Currie.