Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about WikiPepper.
What is WikiPepper?
WikiPepper is a free, community-driven encyclopedia of the world's peppers. It contains profiles on thousands of pepper varieties including species classification, Scoville heat units, flavor descriptions, and growing information.
How do I search for a pepper?
Use the search bar on the home page or the Pepper Database page. You can search by name, filter by species, heat level, or mature color. The database also supports browsing alphabetically.
What is the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU)?
SHU measures the concentration of capsaicin (the compound that makes peppers hot) in a pepper. The higher the SHU, the hotter the pepper. Bell peppers are 0 SHU; Carolina Reaper exceeds 2,000,000 SHU.
How can I contribute to WikiPepper?
Create a free account and use the "Submit a Pepper" form to add new entries, or visit any pepper page to suggest edits. All contributions are reviewed by the community.
Can I edit existing pepper entries?
Yes! Registered users can suggest edits to any pepper's fields including SHU, species, flavor notes, growing information, and more. Edits are logged for transparency.
What Capsicum species does WikiPepper cover?
WikiPepper covers all major Capsicum species including annuum, chinense, frutescens, baccatum, pubescens, rhomboideum, tovarii, chacoense, praetermissum, eximium, cardenasii, galapagoense, and flexuosum.
How do I report an error in a pepper entry?
Click the edit fields on any pepper's profile page to suggest corrections. You can also use the Contact Us page to report issues directly.
Is WikiPepper free to use?
Yes, WikiPepper is completely free. We rely on community contributions and voluntary donations to keep the site running and ad-free.
How can I support WikiPepper?
You can support WikiPepper by contributing content, sharing the site, or making a donation via our Donate page. All funds go toward database maintenance and server costs.
Can I use WikiPepper data in my own project?
Please review our Citation & Usage Guidelines page for details on how to properly credit and use WikiPepper data in research, publications, or other projects.
What does "interspecific cross" mean?
An interspecific cross is a hybrid created by breeding two different Capsicum species together. Many superhot peppers are interspecific crosses — for example, the Carolina Reaper is a C. chinense × C. chinense cross with disputed lineage.
How are SHU values determined?
SHU values on WikiPepper are sourced from published lab tests (HPLC analysis), academic papers, and reputable references where available. Ranges are shown when multiple sources differ. Community sources are also accepted but flagged.