The Trinidad Scorpion Butch T is a Capsicum chinense cultivar that is among the hottest peppers in the world.[1] It is a hybrid pepper and thus not indigenous to anywhere; however, its hybrid parentage is derived from the Trinidad Moruga scorpion indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago.[2] It was named by Neil Smith from The Hippy Seed Company,[3] after he got the seeds originally from Butch Taylor (the owner of Zydeco Farms in Woodville/Crosby, Mississippi, and a hot sauce company) who is responsible for propagating the pepper's seeds.[4] The "scorpion" peppers are referred to as such because the pointed end of the pepper is said to resemble a scorpion's stinger.
| Trinidad Scorpion Pepper "Butch T" | |
|---|---|
 Trinidad Scorpion pepper pods | |
| Species | Capsicum chinense |
| Hybrid parentage | Trinidad scorpion |
| Breeder | Butch Taylor |
| Origin | Crosby, Mississippi |
| Heat |  Exceptionally hot |
| Scoville scale | 1,000,000 - 1,463,700 SHU |
World record
editThe Trinidad scorpion 'Butch T' pepper was, for three years, ranked the most pungent ("hot") pepper in the world according to Guinness World Records.[5][6] A laboratory test conducted in March 2011 measured a specimen at 1,463,700 Scoville heat units, officially ranking it the hottest pepper in the world at the time.[note 1] One possible secret to the chili's heat, according to a cultivator of the pepper, is fertilizing the soil with the liquid runoff of a worm farm.[7][dubious – discuss] In August 2017, Guinness World Records recognized the Carolina Reaper as the hottest pepper in the world, at 1,641,183 SHU.[8]
See also
editNote
edit- ^ The pungency of a species of chili pepper can vary by up to a factor of 10 depending on the conditions under which the specimen grew.
References
edit- ^ Torrisi, Lauren (February 16, 2012). "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Crowned World's Hottest Pepper". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 6, 2013. Retrieved February 19, 2013.
- ^ "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper: All About It". October 23, 2013.
- ^ Drew, A.J. "Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper". Retrieved December 10, 2014.[permanent dead link]
- ^ "New Record Broken Again!" Archived May 17, 2016, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved April 14, 2011
- ^ "Hottest chili" at Guinness World Records Archived July 28, 2012, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved May 26, 2012.
- ^ "Guinness World Records" Archived February 13, 2013, at the Wayback Machine at Guinness World Records. Retrieved February 19, 2013
- ^ "Aussies grow world's hottest chilli" Archived October 28, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Retrieved April 14, 2011
- ^ Hottest Chili, Guinness Worlds Records, archived from the original on September 24, 2014, retrieved April 5, 2014