Naga Bhut Jolokia seed Ghost Pepper ghost chilli
LATIN NAME: CAPSICUM CHINENSE
COMMON NAME: Ghost Pepper, Bhut Jolokia, Naga Jolokia
The ghost pepper is the chilli that once held the world record for heat, and it is a legend of the Indian kitchen. It grows as a branching, bushy plant, reaching a metre or more, with broad, green leaves and, in summer, small, white flowers, followed by wrinkled, pointed pods that ripen from green to a deep red. The heat of the fruit is astonishing, rated at more than a million Scoville heat units, and it is loved in northeastern India, where it is used sparingly in cooking, in chutneys and in traditional dishes. It is a plant of fire and flavour, grown by farmers in the hills of Assam and Nagaland, and it is a hybrid of Capsicum chinense and Capsicum frutescens.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The ghost pepper has a genuine and growing place in both food science and agricultural research. It is famous for its extraordinary heat, and researchers have studied the chemistry of its pungency, which comes from a family of compounds called capsaicinoids, and have measured its heat on the Scoville scale, since it was certified by Guinness World Records as the world’s hottest chilli in 2007. The plant has also been studied in agriculture, since it is an important crop in northeastern India, and researchers have examined its cultivation, its yields and its value to farmers in the region, while the capsaicinoids have also been studied for their uses in food, medicine and pest control. The fruit is intensely hot and should be handled with care, with gloves when harvesting, and it is not for the casual eating. For a chilli of such legendary heat and such importance to its region, the ghost pepper has a bright and interesting record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
To grow the Ghost Pepper from seed, ecologically, the ghost pepper is a generous plant of the garden. Its small white flowers feed bees and other pollinators, and it grows as a vigorous, branching plant in the warm gardens of northeastern India. Its economic value is considerable: it is an important crop in northeastern India, used in cooking, chutneys and traditional dishes, and its fame as one of the hottest chillies in the world has made it known globally, while the capsaicinoids it contains are used in food, medicine and pest control. To raise the ghost pepper, sow the seeds in pots of seed compost in late spring, lay a light covering of fine compost over them, and keep them warm, bright and lightly watered.
sow the seeds in pots of seed compost in late spring, lay a light covering of fine compost over the young peppers, and keep them warm, bright and lightly watered.
LATIN NAME: Capsicum chinense
COMMON NAME: Ghost Pepper, Bhut Jolokia, Naga Jolokia
The ghost pepper is the chilli that once held the world record for heat, and it is a legend of the Indian kitchen. It grows as a branching, bushy plant, reaching a metre or more, with broad, green leaves and, in summer, small, white flowers, followed by wrinkled, pointed pods that ripen from green to a deep red. The heat of the fruit is astonishing, rated at more than a million Scoville heat units, and it is loved in northeastern India, where it is used sparingly in cooking, in chutneys and in traditional dishes. It is a plant of fire and flavour, grown by farmers in the hills of Assam and Nagaland.
The ghost pepper belongs to the nightshade family, Solanaceae, and it is cultivated in northeastern India. It is one of the hottest chillies in the world, and it is a popular and important crop in the region, now known around the globe.
Positive & Encouraging Seed Germination Guide
Growing a ghost pepper from seed is easy and very rewarding. The seeds germinate readily in warmth, so sow them in pots of seed compost in late spring, cover them lightly, and keep them warm, bright and evenly moist. Germination usually begins within one to three weeks. Pot the seedlings on as they grow and plant them out in a warm, sunny, sheltered spot in rich, moist soil after all danger of frost, or keep them in large pots. The plants are vigorous and productive, and within a season they will reward you with their fiery, wrinkled pods. Remember to handle the fruit with care, since it is intensely hot.
Scientific Research & Plant Biotechnology
The ghost pepper has a genuine and growing place in both food science and agricultural research. It is famous for its extraordinary heat, and researchers have studied the chemistry of its pungency, which comes from a family of compounds called capsaicinoids, and have measured its heat on the Scoville scale, since it was certified by Guinness World Records as the worlds hottest chilli in 2007. The plant has also been studied in agriculture, since it is an important crop in northeastern India, and researchers have examined its cultivation, its yields and its value to farmers in the region, while the capsaicinoids have also been studied for their uses in food, medicine and pest control. For a chilli of such legendary heat and such importance to its region, the ghost pepper has a bright and interesting record of research.
Ecological & Economic Value & Wide Applications
Ecologically, the ghost pepper is a generous plant of the garden. Its small white flowers feed bees and other pollinators, and it grows as a vigorous, branching plant in the warm gardens of northeastern India.
Its economic value is considerable. It is an important crop in northeastern India, used in cooking, chutneys and traditional dishes, and its fame as one of the hottest chillies in the world has made it known globally, while the capsaicinoids it contains are used in food, medicine and pest control. For a grower, the ghost pepper is a valuable and fascinating crop, and for a gardener it brings fire and flavour to the kitchen.
Bhut Jolokia Bih Jolokia Borbih Raja Mircha Raja Chilli Mirch Mircha, Naga Moresh Naga Morich Tezpur
Uses: Culinary/Medicinal World hottest pepper! On the 0 to 10 heat scale that we use to rate peppers, it off the scale! On the Scoville system it is rated at over one million Scoville units. Native to northeastern India, bhut jolokia is a hybrid of C. chinense and C. frutescens. Brilliant red when mature. Seeds require warm soil to germinate, and peppers do best in light, well-drained soil in areas where there is a long hot growing season to allow them to come to their fiery best. Wear protective gloves to harvest ripe fruit.