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Nature

Ghost Pepper

What is ghost pepper?

· James MacDonald

Key facts

Common name ghost pepper[2]
Other name bhut jolokia[2]
Scientific name Capsicum chinense[3]
Origin northeast India[2]
Heat about 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU)[3]

Ghost pepper, also called bhut jolokia, is a very hot chili pepper classified as *Capsicum chinense* and originating in northeast India [3]. It averages about 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making it one of the hottest chili peppers in the world [3].

Context

Ghost pepper is a very hot chili pepper, also called bhut jolokia, classified as *Capsicum chinense* and described as originating in northeast India [3]. Britannica says it is one of the hottest chili peppers in the world, with an average heat of about 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU) [3]. The name "ghost pepper" is linked to the word *Bhut* in an Indian language source, explained as meaning "an especially malevolent spirit" [1]. It is also known as *naga jolokia* [2].

Documented claims

  • It is one of the hottest chili peppers in the world. [3]
  • It is a cultivar of *Capsicum chinense*. [3]
  • It is also called *naga jolokia*. [2]
  • The name "ghost pepper" is linked to the word *Bhut* in an Indian language source, explained as meaning "an especially malevolent spirit." [1]

Questions and answers

How spicy is the ghost pepper?

It averages about 1 million Scoville Heat Units (SHU), making it one of the hottest chili peppers in the world [3].

Are ghost peppers good to eat?

The sources do not specify whether ghost peppers are good to eat.

What is hotter than a ghost pepper?

The sources do not specify what is hotter than a ghost pepper.

What does ghost pepper do to your body?

The sources do not specify the effects of ghost pepper on the body.

Sources

  1. Five Ghost Pepper Facts That May Surprise You — pepperscale.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  2. Ghost Pepper: 855K-1M SHU, Taste and Kitchen Uses — knowthepepper.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)
  3. What You Need to Know About the Ghost Chili Pepper — magicplantfarms.com (retrieved August 3, 2026)

Sources last checked August 3, 2026. · More in Nature