Hottest Capsicum Baccatum Peppers, Ranked by SHU

Capsicum baccatum is South America's signature species, home to the aji family. Here are the hottest baccatum peppers in our database, ranked by heat.

17 peppers · Capsicum baccatum varieties, ranked by maximum SHU, hottest first.

  1. Aji Cito 80K–100K SHU Hot

    The aji cito is a small, elongated Peruvian pepper from the C. baccatum species, landing between 80,000 and 100,000 SHU. It is one of the hottest…

  2. Sugar Rush Peach 50K–100K SHU Hot

    The Sugar Rush Peach is a C. baccatum pepper hitting 50,000–100,000 SHU with a flavor profile that genuinely surprises - intensely fruity and sweet…

  3. Sugar Rush Stripey 50K–100K SHU Hot

    The Sugar Rush Stripey is a visually striking C. baccatum pepper from the USA, registering 50,000–100,000 SHU - roughly 20x hotter than a jalapeño…

  4. Aji Amarillo 30K–50K SHU Hot

    Aji Amarillo is Peru's fruity orange Capsicum baccatum chile, commonly listed at 30,000-50,000 SHU. The name means yellow chile, but ripe pods often…

  5. Aji Cristal 30K–50K SHU Hot

    Aji Cristal is a C. baccatum pepper from Chile delivering 30,000-50,000 SHU of clean, fruity heat with a bright tangy finish. Roughly 10 times hotter…

  6. Aji Mirasol 30K–50K SHU Hot

    The aji mirasol is the dried form of Peru's aji amarillo, a C. baccatum pepper generally cited around 30,000-50,000 SHU. Drying deepens its fruity…

  7. Aji Omnicolor 30K–50K SHU Hot

    Aji Omnicolor is a C. baccatum pepper from Peru that earns its name by ripening through purple, yellow, orange, and red tones on the same plant. At…

  8. Aji Colorado 20K–30K SHU Hot

    Aji Colorado is a Capsicum baccatum pepper sitting at 20,000-30,000 SHU - roughly half the punch of a serrano but with the bright, fruity character…

  9. Aji Pineapple 20K–30K SHU Hot

    Aji Pineapple is a Capsicum baccatum variety registering 20,000-30,000 SHU - roughly 6 times hotter than a typical jalapeño and comparable to tabasco…

  10. Bishop's Crown 5K–30K SHU Hot

    The Bishop's Crown is a visually striking C. baccatum pepper from Barbados, shaped like a three-winged bishop's miter. It delivers 5,000–30,000 SHU…

  11. Criolla Sella Pepper 15K–30K SHU Hot

    The Criolla Sella is a Capsicum baccatum variety registering 15,000-30,000 SHU - roughly comparable to a chile de arbol. Its baccatum lineage signals…

  12. Inca Red Drop Pepper 10K–30K SHU Hot

    The Inca Red Drop is a Capsicum baccatum pepper landing at 10,000–30,000 SHU - roughly the same heat band as a citrusy, medium-sharp Lemon Drop but…

  13. Lemon Drop 15K–30K SHU Hot

    The lemon drop is a Peruvian C. baccatum pepper registering 15,000–30,000 SHU - roughly half the heat of a Thai chili - with a citrus-forward…

  14. Rocotillo Pepper 2K–3K SHU Medium

    The rocotillo is a mild, scallop-shaped Caribbean pepper with almost no heat and a sweet, fruity flavor. Originating in the Caribbean and South…

  15. Aji Panca 1K–2K SHU Medium

    Aji Panca is a mild Peruvian Capsicum baccatum chile usually used dried or as a dark red paste. PepperScale lists it at 1,000-1,500 SHU, so the main…

  16. Mad Hatter Pepper 500–1K SHU Medium

    Mad Hatter pepper is a mild Capsicum baccatum hybrid that usually sits around 500-1,000 SHU. It looks like the Bishop's Crown pepper but eats much…

  17. Peppadew Pepper 280–650 SHU Mild

    The Peppadew pepper most shoppers mean is the South African sweet piquante pepper sold under the PEPPADEW brand. It is a small round C. baccatum…

How we rank: Capsicum baccatum varieties, ranked by maximum SHU, hottest first. Scoville figures come from our pepper database, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) where available. Individual pods vary with growing conditions, so ranges matter more than single numbers.

Ranked List FAQ

Aji Cito tops this list at 100K SHU. Capsicum baccatum varieties, ranked by maximum SHU, hottest first.

Capsicum baccatum varieties, ranked by maximum SHU, hottest first. Scoville figures come from our pepper database, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) where available.

This list ranks 17 peppers. We update it as new varieties are measured and added to the database.

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