Ghost Pepper vs Trinidad Scorpion
Trinidad Scorpion is the hotter pepper. It reaches 1,200,000 SHU; Ghost Pepper tops out at 1,041,427 SHU.
Both are C. chinense.
Which one do you have? Check it with the pepper identifier.
| Ghost Pepper | Trinidad Scorpion | |
|---|---|---|
| Scoville Heat Units | 855,000 to 1,041,427 SHU | 500,000 to 1,200,000 SHU |
| Heat level | Superhot (1,000,000+ SHU) | Superhot (1,000,000+ SHU) |
| Species | C. chinense | C. chinense |
| Ripe pod color | Red | Red |
| Immature color | Green | Green |
| Pod shape | Habanero-type | Habanero-type |
| Pod length | 1 to 2 inches | 1 to 2 inches |
| Flesh | Thin flesh | Thin flesh |
| Pod orientation | Pendant pods | Pendant pods |
| Plant height | 42 to 48 inches | 30 to 36 inches |
| Days to harvest | Very Late 90-120 | Very Late 90-120 |
| Flowers | Solid white/cream | Solid white/cream |
| Region of origin | India | Trinidad & Tobago |
| Credited to | Landrace — Assam/Nagaland, Northeast India | Landrace - Trinidad & Tobago |
| Also known as | Bhut Jolokia; Bih Jolokia; Ghost; King Chili; Naga Jolokia; Peppiniello; Raja Mircha; U-Morok; Umorok; Giant Ghost Pepper; Bih Jolokia v1; Bih Jolokia (v2); Bih Jolokia v2; Red Ghost Pepper; Ghost Pepper Red; Bhut Jolokia Red; Red Bhut Jolokia; Ghost Red; Red Bhut; Raja Mirch; Mirish Raja; Bhut Jolokia chili; Bhut Strain | Scorpion; TS; Trinidad Scorpion Red |
Two landraces, two continents, one species. The Ghost Pepper, Bhut Jolokia, is from Assam and its neighboring states in northeastern India. The Trinidad Scorpion is from Trinidad and Tobago, named for the tail that curls off the bottom of the pod. Both are C. chinense, and both reached New Mexico State University's Chile Pepper Institute the same way, as seed sent in from abroad: 2001 for the Bhut Jolokia, 2008 for the Trinidad Scorpion, the latter from the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute.
The Ghost Pepper got there first and got the first record. Guinness World Records recognized it as the world's hottest in 2007.
On the tongue they diverge. The Ghost Pepper is slow, arriving several seconds late and then climbing. The Scorpion is faster and stays longer, and tasters describe more fruit under the burn. The Bhut Jolokia has centuries of use dried and ground in Assamese and Naga food. The Scorpion's history is shorter and more commercial, a Trinidadian market pepper that became a hot-sauce headline. The Scorpion name has since been attached to crosses that share nothing with it but the tail.
Where do Ghost Pepper and Trinidad Scorpion come from?
Ghost Pepper is recorded as originating in India.
All C. chinense varieties · All superhot peppers
All C. chinense varieties · All superhot peppers
Figures come from each variety's WikiPepper record. Last updated Oct 26, 2026.