Pepper Ghost (Photo credit: Asit K Ghosh)
This legendary variety is one of the world’s hottest peppers coming in at an astonishing, tongue-melting 855,000 to 1,000,000 Scoville units. To put that into perspective, a jalapeno pepper is a mere 2,500 to 10,000 Scoville units. As you first taste these thin-skinned, wrinkly red peppers, you get an intense sweet chili flavour that is rather tasty. The heat slowly intensifies after approximately 30-40 seconds and can linger for up to 30 minutes.
Ghost peppers are a naturally occurring chili hybrid originating from the northeastern part of India. They thrive in heat and humid conditions and will grow to be rather tall plants. Depending on the pollinator population in your area, you may need to pollinate by hand.
When they are ready to be harvested, ghost peppers will ripen from green to a brilliant red colour. To harvest, use a sharp knife or pruning shears to snip off peppers leaving a short stem attached.
Please note: Always wear latex/nitrile gloves when handling these peppers and avoid contact with the face and eyes. Keep out of reach of children and pets.
To store, peppers can be refrigerated in storage bags for about a week.
| Maturity | 160 days |
|---|---|
| Height | 18 - 48" (46-122 cm) |
| Spacing | 36" (91 cm) |
| Light | Full sun |
| Soil | Rich, organic and well-draining. |
| pH Range | 6.2 to 6.5 |
| Watering | Moderate and even moisture to get the plant established and until fruit sets, then less as fruit matures. |
| Fertilizing | Balanced fertilizer at the time of planting. Once blooms start to form, side dress the plant every 2 to 4 weeks with a potassium-rich fertilizer. |
| Nutrients Required | Nitrogen=moderate; Phosphorus=high; Potassium=high |
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