When it comes to the world’s hottest pepper that can give you goose bumps and turn you red, nothing can beat Trinidad Scorpion pepper (also called the Trinidad Moruga scorpion pepper). This exceptionally hot chili pepper is especially grown in Australia and is a Capsicum Chinese cultivar.
The Trinidad scorpion pepper is one of the hottest peppers in the world. As is evident from the name, this species is indigenous to Trinidad and Tobago, hence sometimes referred to as the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion pepper.
Being one of the world’s hottest peppers, it finds its use in a number of chili sauce companies. The pointed ends of the pepper apparently resemble a scorpion’s stinger and hence the name scorpion.
This chili is so hot on the pepper scale that you might have to wear protective gear while using this in your food. Without wearing gloves, you might have to endure pumping heat for a couple of days. Also, if you eat this spicy pepper, you can feel your mouth going numb.
Trinidad Scorpion Pepper Uses
- Trinidad Scorpion contains capsaicin that is of immense use for people suffering from skin disease like psoriasis to inflammation and itching.
- This ingredient also helps in suppressing appetite, according to some research.
- Capsaicin also helps in preventing the growth of prostate cancer cells.
- This is also used to cure arthritis pain as well as neuropathic pain.
- This red hot chili can also be beneficial for curing and treating ear infections. According to a study, this also helps in treating heartburn.
How to Grow Trinidad Scorpion Pepper
If you are ready to grow some of the reasonably spiciest and hottest peppers in your backyard, then you should definitely go for Trinidad Scorpion pepper. Also, you can easily grow this pepper in your garden and take up this exciting project.
The process is not at all complicated and mainly involves planting, watering and harvesting. All the more, growing Trinidad Scorpion chili is an easy and inexpensive project.
- So, as an initial step, you need to fill up a tray with Trinidad Scorpion seeds. Plant the hot chili pepper seeds carefully at a depth of ¼ inch in the tray. You have to plant them almost 10 weeks prior to the last expected cold frost. Following this, water the pepper seeds properly with hot or lukewarm water right after planting the seeds.
- Your next step would be to place this tray somewhere with a temperature of 85 degrees F or 30 degrees C and with sound air circulation. The tray should be uncovered. At this chili sprouting stage, temperature becomes more important than light. Hence, place the tray in a dark area. Maintain moisture around the young plants and seeds. The chili pepper soil should not be soggy or wet.
- After the Trinidad scorpion seeds have sprouted, move the seedlings to somewhere where they can get access to 10 hours of sunlight. Here, maintain a temperature of 70 degrees F or 22 degrees C.
- Now, plant the chili seedlings in your backyard 2 weeks following the last cold weather. By now, the plants must have grown to 12 inches high. The planting bed should get complete sunlight and the temperature should be between 60 to 95 degrees F or 15-35 C. If there are hotter areas in garden, put the growing chili peppers in shade. Maintain a space of 2 feet between the pepper plants in the planting bed.
- Now it’s time to fertilize the chili peppers sprinkle granular fertiliser (5-10-10) alongside the rows of chilli plants after they have blossomed. Fertiliser will provide the essential nutrition for the pepper plants to grow fully.
- To water your chili plants do so in the early evening or in morning, water your pepper plants well with sprinkler or watering can to simulate rainfall. Maintain dampness in the soil without getting them soggy.
- The final stage is to harvest your chili peppers which can occur approximately 40-100 days following the planting of the chili seeds. By now, the young peppers will grow green, yellow and then red. So, now they are ready to be picked.
For best results, provide rainwater or non-chlorinated water to your chili pepper plants. However, care needs to be taken while planting the hot pepper seeds. It’s highly necessary to wear latex gloves and wash hands with soap after planting them.