How do you know whether the pepper you want to grow is too hot to handle?

The amount of “heat” in hot peppers is measured using Scoville units, which refers to the parts per million of capsaicin (a chemical unique to peppers that acts as an irritant) in a pepper. The higher the Scoville units, the more fiery the pepper.

Growing conditions such as soil quality, moisture, temperature, and exposure to sunlight affect the hotness of a pepper. Even fruits on the same plant may have different degrees of heat. A habañero will always be hotter than a jalapeño. But a habañero grown in Texas will usually be hotter than one grown in Vermont. That¹s why some of the hottest peppers come from the Southwest.


Pepper Type                   Scoville Units

Sweet Bell Pepper            0 - 100
Pasilla Bajio                     100 - 250
Anaheim                          800 - 1,400
Ancho/Poblano                1,250 - 2,500
Jalapeño                          4,000 - 6,000
Serrano                           10,000 - 25,000
Cayenne                          25,000 - 55,000
Tabasco                          30,000 - 60,000
Chile Pequin                    40,000 - 70,000
Thai Dragon                    75,000 - 150,000
Habañero                        100,000 - 325,000
Red Savina Habañero      225,000 - 570,000
Pure Capsaicin                16,000,000