How hot is the Costa Rican?

The Costa Rican measures 5,000–30,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making it a hot pepper — roughly 4 times hotter than a jalapeño (which tops out around 8,000 SHU).

Costa Rican

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📷 Photo: Semillas.de

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Further InformationEdit

A member of the C. annuum group. Ripens to red, standard tapered pods. Rates 5,000–30,000 SHU, which means solid heat — enough to make you pay attention. Also listed as Costa Rican Red.

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NameCosta Rican

Alternative Name(s)Costa Rican Red

Universal Pepper Number (UPN)A-R-SM-J-5-119RegisteredHow UPN works

SpeciesC. annuum

Scoville Heat Units (SHUs)5,000 - 30,000

Heat LevelHot (15,001–100,000 SHU)

Mature Pod Color (Primary)Red

Pod FormStandard tapered

RegionNot set

Discoverer/BreederNot set

Immature Color(s)Green/Mustard

Further InformationEdit

A member of the C. annuum group. Ripens to red, standard tapered pods. Rates 5,000–30,000 SHU, which means solid heat — enough to make you pay attention. Also listed as Costa Rican Red.

LinksEdit

Last updated Oct 5, 2026