Bhut Jolokia This pepper is on the EXTREME end of the chili world, weighing in from 855,000 

Scoville heat units to an eye-popping 1,041,427 SHU! It’s one of the hottest peppers in the 

world and a one-time Guinness Book of World Records champ.

 

Ghost pepper fast facts

Scoville heat units (SHU) 855,000 – 1,041,427

Median heat (SHU) 948,214

Jalapeño reference point 107 to 417 times hotter!!!

Capsicum species Chinense

Use Culinary

Size 2 to 3 inches long, pod-like

Flavor Sweet, fruity, earthy

 

Germination rate 90%

germination date 1/16/22

 

They are so hot that precautions should be taken when handling

Bhut Jolokia are so spicy that special precautions should be taken in their handling.

Wear gloves, at minimum to keep significant chili burn at bay. But if you’re sensitive

to capsaicin (the compound that gives chilies their heat), then we recommend wearing 

eye goggles and even a face mask when handling the Bhut Jolokia.

 

Caution!!! This peppers are the real deal. They are hot and very dangerous. We accept no 

responsibility for their heat!

 

Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum chinense "Bhut Jolokia") is a cultivar of pepper grown for its 

exceptionally hot, spicy fruit. It is a tender perennial, and will persist year-round 

within U.S. Department of Agriculture plant hardiness zones 10 and above. The seeds 

germinate best indoors where it is easier to create and control the environmental 

conditions required for successful germination. "Bhut Jolokia" pepper seeds germinate 

slowly and require approximately 160 days to set fruit, so it is best to start them at 

least two months before the last spring frost.

 

germination rate 90%

germination date 1/16/22

 

Combine 5 parts seed-starting compost, 

1 part fine sand and 1 part perlite in a bucket. Drizzle water onto the mixture while stirring. 

Keep adding water in small increments until the mixture feels moderately moist throughout.

2 Pack the moistened compost mixture into 3-inch starter pots. Fill the pots to within 1/4 inch

 of the top. Lightly firm the mixture to collapse any air pockets. Poke a 1/2-inch-deep hole in 

the center of the mixture.

3 Place one "Bhut Jolokia" pepper seed in the planting hole. Fill in the hole with seed-starting 

compost. Cover the surface of the compost mixture with a 1/16-inch-thick layer of fine sand.

4 Arrange the starter pots on a warming mat near a large window with six to eight hours of sun 

exposure each day. Cover the pots with a plastic propagation dome or a sheet of clear plastic wrap.

5 Set the temperature on the warming mat to between 80 and 90 F. Keep the warming mat at that 

temperature all day and night during the germination process.

6 Check the moisture level in the compost mixture daily. Add water whenever the top 1/4 inch 

feels nearly dry. Water with a misting bottle or by drizzling water onto the surface. Avoid 

overwatering since the seeds will fail.

7 Watch for germination one month after sowing, but don't be surprised if it takes up to two 

months for some of the "Bhut Jolokia" seeds to sprout.

8 Lower the temperature to 75 F after germination. Remove the propagation dome two weeks after 

germination. Decrease water slightly so the top 1/2 inch dries out slightly between waterings.

9 Transplant the "Bhut Jolokia" pepper seedlings into a sunny bed with moist, fast-draining 

soil after all frost danger has passed and the soil has warmed to at least 68 F. Space 

the plants 2 feet apart.