Description
Chilli Name : SCARLET LANTERN (PI 315008)
Chilli Species : Chinense
Chilli Origin : Peru
Chilli Heat : Very Hot (150,000–300,000 SHU)
Scarlet Lantern (PI 315008) is a Peruvian Capsicum chinense variety and a recognised PI (Plant Introduction) accession from the USDA germplasm collection. Native to northern Peru, it’s one of the country’s best-known chinense types — prized for its bright, fruity flavour, thick flesh, and strong habanero-like heat.
Pods are distinctly lantern-shaped, about 3–4 cm long and 3 cm wide, ripening from green to brilliant scarlet red. The flavour is sweet, floral, and tropical, with very hot heat typically between 150,000–300,000 SHU — similar to orange habaneros but with a cleaner, more aromatic finish. It’s used extensively in Peruvian sauces, stews, and seafood dishes, often as a fresh base for traditional ají pastes.
Plants are vigorous and high-yielding (70–90 cm tall), producing dense clusters of pods throughout summer. They perform best under warm, stable conditions, but can also produce well in greenhouses across cooler regions.
Seeds germinate best at 28–30 °C, sprouting in 10–21 days. Plants mature in 100–110 days and continue cropping well into autumn with good care.
