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The world's hottest chile—the Bhut Jolokia

By Jim (Habanero) Duffy


The World Record Holder for chile heat is called the Bhut Jolokia. It was tested and found to have a record heat of over 1,000,000 Scoville units!! It also is named the Ghost Chile by the locals. Locals say that the intense heat of the Bhut Jolokia Pepper has made those that eat it appear to look like they have seen a ghost.

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Bhut Jolokia (Capsicum Chinense)

Now that's what I call really hot!

Other names are the Bih Jolokia and Naga Jolokia. Another chile that is not a capsicum chinense species also goes by the name Naga Jolokia. It is a capsicum frutescens species called the Indian PC 1.

The Bhut Jolokia came to fame when it was tested in 2006 by Dr. Paul Bosland of the Chile Pepper Institute at New Mexico State University. Some say this strain is different from the ones grown in Assam province in the country of India. So how is it different? As far as chile growers go the New Mexico plants grow less pods but they are larger. Heat and flavor are the same. I am growing both. Now chile people say there is a third normal strain. It is called the Bih Jolokia.

So how is it different? Some say it grows easier and the pods are a lighter color of red. Again those I know that grow it say the heat and flavor are the same. I will plant Bih seeds soon and see if it does germinate/grow easier. If heat and flavor are the same then it will be my choice. I have been through this before.

Four Years ago I grew three varieties of Chocolate habanero. I grew the Congo Black from Trinidad, Jamaican Hot Chocolate and Black Cayman. My Cayman plants did not produce well. Both Trinidad and Jamaican varieties grew well. But the Jamaican Chocolate had the most heat. So this is the one I grow now for fresh chiles.

But I still grow the Trinidad variety for plant sales and because some like it more than the Jamaican. So I will eventually decide which normal Bhut Strain dominates my garden. Anyway if you go to India Bhut and Bih mean the same chile.

Now as far as I know there are two sub-species of Bhut Jolokia. We are growing both the Chocolate Bhut Jolokia and the Yellow Bhut Jolokia.

At Refining Fire Chiles we isolate our seed production plants to avoid cross-pollination with other chile species. If you want to try it yourself contact us for seeds, plants (March-August) and fresh chiles (September).

We also grow the Trinidad 7 Pot, Trinidad Scorpion, Naga Morich, Chocolate Habanero and many other Hot Chile Pepper plant varieties!