It has also been called the Tezpur chili after the Assamese city of Tezpur. Ripe peppers measure 60 to 85 mm (2.4 to 3.3 in) long and 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) wide with a red, yellow, orange, or chocolate color. [10] This name is especially common in other regions where it is grown, such as Assam and Manipur. The ghost pepper,[2][3] also known as bhut jolokia (which literally means Bhutanese chili in Assamese[4]), is an interspecific hybrid chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. Water requirements: Soil should be kept moist but not muddy. Once your seedlings are four to six inches tall – about six to eight weeks after germination – it’s time to transplant them out into the garden, or into a container. It is popularly used in combination with pork or dried or fermented fish. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. [11], In Nagaland, one of the regions of cultivation, the chili is called Naga jolokia ('Naga chili'; also romanized nôga zôlôkia) and bhut jolokia (also romanized bhût zôlôkiya). 2011. Bhut jolokia. Further, they typically have a spread between 1 and 2 feet (0.30 and 0.61 meters). If you choose to grow ghost pepper plants, this how to guide will help you a lot. [6] It is used in both fresh and dried forms to "heat up" curries, pickles and chutneys. Enjoy 500+ spicy recipes, 125+ pepper profiles, and hundreds of related articles. Scoville heat units: The ghost pepper measures between 855,000 and 1,041,427 Scoville heat units. Container-friendly: Ghost peppers can be grown in containers; the minimum container size is about three gallons with five gallons being ideal. [26], Ghost pepper leaf, about 10-day-old plant, Ghost pepper leaf, about 30-day-old plant, Ghost pepper plant, 40 days old, grown in coco peat, Chili pepper cultivated in Northeast India. Ghost peppers were considered as one of the hottest pepper in the world. However, in the race to grow the hottest pepper, the ghost chili was superseded by the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T pepper in 2011 and Carolina Reaper in 2013. PepperScale profile: pepperscale.com/ghost-pepper, Buy ghost pepper seeds online: Buy from Amazon. Remedy magnesium deficiency by spraying with Epsom salts. Water plants thoroughly twice per week during periods with little rainfall. Sometimes called ghost chili or Bhut Jokolia, these could be an exciting plant to grow at your backyard. Transplanted ghost peppers need temperatures of no less than 73 degrees for optimal health. Herbaceous perennial. Matt Bray | Last Updated: September 5, 2019 | Growing Peppers, Fun & Learning, You are here: Home / Growing Peppers / The Ghost Pepper Planting Guide: A To Zing. [10] In Assamese, bih means poison and zôlôkia means chili or pepper, making the literal translation poison pepper, obviously referring to its extreme spiciness. Gringo Bandito Classic Variety Pack. However, the red fruit variety has two … In 2000, India's Defence Research Laboratory (DRL) reported a Scoville rating for the ghost pepper of 855,000 SHUs,[14] and in 2004 a rating of 1,041,427 SHUs was made using HPLC analysis. You will want to ensure that you keep the soil moist, especially after the first blossoms show up. [8], The name bhüt jolokia (ভোট জলকীয়া) means Bhutanese pepper in Assamese; the first element bhüt, meaning Bhutanese, was mistakenly confused for a near-homonym bhut meaning ghost, thus producing the English (mis-)translation "ghost pepper". [19] It takes about 7–12 days to germinate at 32–38 °C. Soil requirements: They do best in loamy, well-drained soil with a pH of between 6.0 and 6.8. If you intend to grow them in containers, make sure your pot is at least eight inches deep and 11-12 inches wide. Space requirements: When transplanting, place each ghost pepper seedling between 24 and 36 inches away from other plants. [12] In Manipur, the chili is called umorok[13] or oo-morok ('tree chili'). Avoid high nitrogen fertilizers as these can cause plants to develop lots of foliage and little or no fruit. Raised beds are ideal for ghost pepper planting as they help to maintain a higher soil temperature. Mature Size. Ripe peppers measure 60 to 85 mm (2.4 to 3.3 in) long and 25 to 30 mm (1.0 to 1.2 in) wide with a red, yellow, orange, or chocolate color. Our ghost pepper planting guide walks you through important fast facts and must know steps to bring this popular extreme chili pepper to life in your back yard. Like grapes grown for wine, hot peppers are incredibly complex. "The origin of the Chili lies in the north-eastern of India, in the region of Assam.". [23][24] The DRDO said that ghost pepper-based aerosol sprays could be used as a "safety device", and "civil variants" of chili grenades could be used to control and disperse mobs. (In containers, they may only go up to 2 feet.) But know: a little ghost will go far. The infamous bhut jolokia (a.k.a. 4 feet tall. [15] For comparison, Tabasco red pepper sauce rates at 2,500–5,000, and pure capsaicin (the chemical responsible for the pungency of pepper plants) rates at 16,000,000 SHUs. Ghost chili plants can grow up to 4 feet (1.22 meters) high. Plants that are deficient in magnesium may produce a large number of blossoms but few actual peppers. Dips below 70 degrees can easily kill your plant while excessively high temperatures (above 90 degrees) can cause blossoms to fall which means that plants may not produce fruit. [4], In Assam,[9] the pepper is also known as bih zôlôkia ('poison chili'), denoting the plant's heat. Chili size: When fully ripe, peppers are usually between 2.5 and 3.5 inches long and 1 to 1.2 inches wide. Plant Size: Ghost pepper plants that are 36 inches away from other plants typically grow to about four feet tall. Ghost peppers are very sensitive to changes in temperature, especially sudden drops. Ghost pepper plants, otherwise known as Bhut Jolokia, are a type of hot pepper plant grown in India. It’s a perfect chili for extreme hot sauces or simply spicing up a soup or chili. [5] Unlike most peppers, ghost peppers produce capsaicin in vesicles found in both the placenta around the seeds and throughout the fruit, rather than just in the placenta.[17]. [18] However, the red fruit variety has two different types: the rough, dented fruit and the smooth fruit. Light requirements: Ghost peppers need full sun, which means as much sunlight as possible. Try to avoid splashing the leaves when watering. For best results, use the technique of adding fertilizer about four inches from the side of the plant’s stem. Avoid dramatic temperature changes. A good general rule for watering ghost peppers is to water only when the top two inches of soil dries out. Ghost peppers are used as a food and a spice. [10] Other usages on the subcontinent are Saga jolokia, Indian mystery chili and Indian rough chili.[10]. Lack of moisture can inhibit fruit production. Part of the, The Ghost Pepper Planting Guide: A To Zing, Beef In Oyster Sauce: Fast Prep, Easy Cooking, November 2020 Giveaway! Use clippers or a knife to remove peppers from the plant in order to prevent damage. Defence Research and Development Organisation, https://www.frontalagritech.com/chillies-peppers-herbs, "Ghost peppers are saving U.S. grasslands—by scaring off hungry mice", "The Incredible Story of Bhut Jolokia: From Rural India to Dumb YouTube Stunts", "NMSU is home to the world's hottest chile pepper", https://chili-plant.com/chilli-varieties/bhut-jolokia-chili/, "Genetic Variability and Traditional Practices in Naga King Chili Landraces of Nagaland", https://smallaxepeppers.com/2019/05/01/how-hot-is-a-ghost-pepper/, "Capsaicin Content and Pungency of Different Capsicum spp. [5][6] It is a hybrid of Capsicum chinense and Capsicum frutescens and is closely related to the Naga Morich. The habanero plant grows 24 to 36 inches tall, while the “Ghost Pepper” grows 36 to 42 inches tall and will produce comparatively more peppers. When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Ghost pepper pods are unique among peppers because of their characteristic shape and very thin skin. [25] Chili grenades made from ghost peppers were successfully used by the Indian Army in August 2015 to flush out a terrorist hiding in a cave. Otherwise, you may experience a severe case of chili burn. The unselected strain of ghost peppers from India is an extremely variable plant, with a wide range in fruit sizes and fruit production per plant, and offers huge potential for developing much better strains through selection in the future.