Gardeners looking to grow a pepper so hot it will be forever branded in their memory, look no further! The Trinidad Scorpion Pepper will meet all your hot pepper needs…and then some! This small pepper packs a wallop of heat and a sweet flavor not for the faint of heart.
Read on to learn all about one of the world’s hottest peppers. That includes how to grow them, safely cook with them…and even some surprising health benefits of eating them!
Looking for Trinidad Scorpion pepper seeds? Check availability.
Characteristics of Trinidad Scorpion Peppers
The first, and perhaps most important, characteristic of the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper is its legendary heat factor! Let’s not mince words…this is one hot pepper. Trinidad Scorpion Peppers rank at 1.2 million Scoville Units (the standard unit of measure for heat in peppers).
For comparison, the famous Jalapeno Pepper ranks at just 2,500 Scoville Units. Meanwhile, the hottest pepper in the world–the Carolina Reaper–ranks as high as 2.2 million. So if you are hunting for a scorching, hot pepper that doesn’t top out the ranking, the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper will undoubtedly meet you for a match.
This spicy chili pepper hails from the area of Trinidad and Tobago and derives its name from its location of origin. The “Scorpion” moniker comes from the pepper’s arched tip, which resembles a scorpion’s tail.
In terms of appearance, Trinidad Scorpion Peppers look precisely how you would expect. They are small, sleek, and wrinkled or dimpled. Their color matures from deep green to a bright, blistering red that seems like Mother Nature’s warning to stop and reconsider before you eat them.
However, if you bravely use this spicy chili pepper in a dish, you will not be disappointed by its flavor profile. All heat set aside, Trinidad Scorpion Peppers add a kick of sweet, almost fruity flavor before the spice sets in.
The Trinidad Scorpion Pepper Specific
Eating and Cooking With Them
Because of that sweet, fruity flavor profile, the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper is best enjoyed as a component in hot salsas and sauces. It pairs well with lots of tropical and citrus fruits, like pineapples and mangos, in a mango salsa dish, for instance.
You can also Trinidad Scorpion Peppers in just about any dish where you want to add a kick of heat! This includes pots of chili and various stews. Just remember, a little goes a long, long way with this pepper. You will likely not need more than a dash of dried pepper or a sliver of it freshly cut to season an entire dish.
When cooking with Trinidad Scorpion Peppers, it’s imperative that you handle them carefully. Even just handling these peppers whole can cause chili burn, never mind when they are cut. You should always wear kitchen gloves when handling or cutting these peppers; goggles are also recommended to protect your eyes.
Be sure you know how to treat chili burn on the skin and in the eyes before handling a Trinidad Scorpion Pepper. These peppers are best consumed in a dish with something to cut the heat, such as a glass of milk on the side.
You should also be mindful that cooking down peppers makes them hotter. This is due to the heat breaking down the pepper and releasing the source of the heat–a chemical called capsaicin–into the dish. So, if you are cooking down Trinidad Scorpion Peppers, expect to experience even more of that infamous heat!
Health Benefits
While it may seem that eating Trinidad Scorpion Peppers and other hot peppers causes nothing but pain, there are some benefits to consuming them!
You might first notice a rush of endorphins released when consuming a hot pepper, which makes you happy. This is likely why so many people enjoy them and find consuming them irresistible.
In addition, hot peppers like the Trinidad Scorpion can reduce stomach pain and settle an upset stomach when eaten in moderation. The chemical capsaicin, which gives these chilis their heat, can also boost heart health and reduce pain throughout the body (though not necessarily on the tongue when eating them).
Growing At Home
Trinidad Scorpion Peppers can easily be grown in a wide variety of environments. They do well when planted in pots, either indoors or outdoors, which is the ideal way to grow them. You can also transplant them into your garden.
Preparing and Planting
Before you plant your Trinidad Scorpion plants, make sure you have an area where they will have access to sunlight. These plants require a minimum of six hours of full sun per day. Whether they are in a container or your garden bed, make sure they will have all the sunshine they need; you can also offer partial shade if you live in a particularly hot climate.
About ten weeks before the final threat of frost has passed in your area, start Trinidad Scorpion seeds by sowing them in seed trays at a depth of about ¼ inches. You should wear gloves and handle the seeds with care, as even they can cause some burns.
Place the seed tray where it will maintain a temperature of around 85 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep the soil moist and the germinating seeds warm throughout the germination process. Once they have sprouted, move them somewhere they can receive at least 10 hours of sunlight.
You can pot your pepper plants in their permanent growing container two weeks after the final frost. You can also plant them outdoors at this time. In the garden, they will need about 2 feet of space. Fertilize them with granular fertilizer and water them to moistness, but not drenching.
Caring and Maintaining
Continue to fertilize and feed your chili plants on a rotation every 2 to 4 weeks. Water them in the morning or early evening, keeping the soil damp but making sure not to oversaturate it. Within about 40 to 100 days, you should have a bountiful chili harvest.
Where To Buy Trinidad Scorpion Pepper Seeds
Trinidad Scorpion seeds can often be purchased at lawn and garden shops and nurseries.
When sourcing Trinidad Scorpion Pepper seeds online, we recommend the reliable, high-quality seeds sold by one of our favorite seed retailers, Hoss Tools.
Check out our post on the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper with seed recommendations for even more extreme hot pepper variety in your garden!
Wrapping up the Trinidad Scorpion Pepper
Ready to grow some fiery hot, citrus-sweet Trinidad Scorpion Peppers in your home garden?
Before you get started, be sure to check out our Pepper Plants page. This will give you all kinds of information on how to grow, care for, and safely enjoy peppers of all kinds!
- About the Author
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Renee Dugan is a lifelong writer, professional editor, and lover of all things nature, gardening and the big outdoors.
A Midwest girl who’s been in the garden since she could first hold a hand trowel, Renee’s love of growing things has bloomed into a passion for healthy living, holistic lifestyle, and knowing where our food comes from.
Now a mother and maturing gardener herself, Renee is passionate about channeling everything she knows and continues to learn about gardening into lessons for her son and others. Her excitement for sharing this knowledge is only superseded by her excitement about being able to finally grow her own citrus plants in pots.
Renee can be reached at renee.s.dugan@gmail.com