VegetablePepper
Bhut Jolokia Ghost Pepper
This legendary Indian pepper made history in 2007 when Guinness World Records crowned it the world's hottest at over one million Scoville Heat Units. Native to India's Assam region, the Bhut Jolokia transforms from green to brown to brilliant red over its long 120-129 day journey to harvest. Growing 18-24 inches tall in zones 4-13, these upright plants produce cone-shaped peppers that pack extreme heat with surprising smoky and floral complexity.
Photo © True Leaf Market
Growing Conditions
USDA Zone
4-13
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Soil
Well-drained, Fertile Loam, High Organic Matter
Growth Stats
24 in
Height
TypeUpright
Spacing
18
Plant Profile
Sunlight
Full Sun
Water
Moderate
Zones
4-13
Size
24in H x ?in W
Growth
—
Care
High
Hover over chart points for details
Highlights
The Bhut Jolokia commands respect with its blistering 855,000 to 1,463,000 Scoville Heat Units, delivering not just fire but sophisticated smoky and floral notes that define authentic Indian cuisine. These prolific plants reward patient gardeners with large yields of medium-sized, cone-shaped peppers that undergo a dramatic color transformation from green through brown to vivid red. Despite their fearsome reputation, ghost peppers adapt beautifully to container growing and prove surprisingly manageable for home cultivation with proper care and respect for their legendary heat.
Common Uses
Ghost peppers excel in creating intensely hot sauces where their unique smoky and floral notes can shine while the extreme heat gets diluted to manageable levels. In traditional Indian cooking, tiny amounts add authentic fire and complexity to regional dishes, particularly in northeastern Indian cuisine where they originated. Given their dangerous heat level of up to 1,463,000 Scoville units, they're used extremely sparingly, with many cooks wearing gloves even during preparation and limiting use to just small pieces or drops of extract.
Growing Timeline
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Care Instructions
Start Indoors
Sow seeds 1/4 inch deep in high-quality seed starting mix 10-12 weeks before last expected frost. Maintain consistent soil temperature of 80-90°F using heat mats if necessary, as germination can take up to 35 days. Provide 12-16 hours of daily light using grow lights once seedlings emerge, keeping soil consistently moist with good air circulation.
Transplant Outdoors
Begin hardening off seedlings 2 weeks before last frost by gradually exposing them to outdoor conditions for increasing periods daily. Transplant only after nighttime temperatures consistently stay above 55°F and all frost danger has passed. Choose a full sun location with well-draining, organic-rich soil and space plants 18-24 inches apart.
Harvesting
Harvest peppers when they reach full maturity at bright red color after 120-129 days from transplant, with firm skin that detaches easily with gentle pressure. Always wear gloves when handling due to extreme heat levels that can cause severe skin irritation. Use sharp scissors or pruning shears to cut peppers from plants, leaving a small stem portion attached, and harvest continuously throughout the season as peppers ripen.
Growing Calendar
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Companion Planting
Pests & Diseases
Ecology & Traits
Deer ResistantEdible
Scientific Classification
Capsicum chinense
Family
Solanaceae
Genus
Capsicum
Growth Habit
Upright
History & Origin
“The Bhut Jolokia emerged from India's northeastern Assam region, where it developed as part of the area's rich pepper-growing tradition. This remarkable variety catapulted to international fame in 2007 when Guinness World Records officially recognized it as the world's hottest pepper, boasting over one million Scoville Heat Units and dethroning all previous champions. The pepper's journey from regional specialty to global phenomenon represents one of the most dramatic stories in modern pepper breeding, introducing gardeners worldwide to the incredible diversity and heat potential of Indian capsicum varieties.”