Habanero
100,000-300,000 Scoville units
Yucatan, Caribbean

Habaneros are green in color and ripen one of numerous colors including red, orange, salmon, white, chocolate... depending on the variety. Their average size is 1 to 2 1/2 inches long, 1 to 2 inches in diameter and they are lantern-shaped, round or oblong. Technically, their species name is Capsicum Chinense Jacquin. Habaneros are the hottest chile peppers and rate around 200,000 - 300,000 Scoville Units.

Habanero means from Havana and is an extremely hot pepper believed to originally have been taken to the Yucatan Peninsula from Cuba. About 1,500 tons of habaneros are harvested each year in the Yucatan. They are also grown to a lesser extent in Belize, Costa Rica, Texas and California.

Scotch Bonnet
100,000-250,000 Scoville units
Jamaica, Caribbean, Belize

The Scotch Bonnet, although of the same species as the habanero, is not a Cultivar. The Scotch Bonnet has a different shape - one which closely resembles a Scot's bonnet - so it is very easy to differentiate the two. The Scotch Bonnet grows mainly in the Caribbean islands while the habanero grows mainly in Latin and North American. The flavor of the two, however, is very similar as is their heat level.

A cultivar is an organism or hybrid that originated and has persisted under cultivation. The word comes from cultivated variety and is abbreviated as cv. Each cultivar must be named in conformance with the International Code of Nomenclature of Cultivated Plants and that name comes after its scientific name, regulated by the International Code of Botanical Nomenclature [i.e. Capsicum frutescens cv. 'Tabasco']

Jamaican Hot
100,000-200,000 Scoville units
Jamaica, other Caribbean islands

A small red chile with an irregular shape and very hot flavor. It is used in many spicy main dishes as well as an ingredient for chile sauces and other similar condiments.

Thai
50,000-100,000 Scoville units
Southeast Asia, California

Thai peppers are small, seldom growing larger than 1 to 3 inches (2.5–7.6cm) long. They are usually less than 1/2 inch (1.2cm) wide, but provide plenty of heat. These slightly curvy, potent peppers are typically bright red or deep green, and end in a sharp point.

Thai peppers are extremely hot, though they can vary in their heat ratings from 75,000 to 150,000 Scoville heat units. How high a chile pepper scores on the heat scale is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of how many parts per million of capsaicin it contains. (Capsaicin is the compound that gives chile peppers their fiery bite.) This figure is then converted into the historic Scoville heat units that signify how much dilution is necessary to drown out the chile’s heat. The heat level of a chile is given as a range because it varies with how and where the pepper was cultivated.

Buying and Storing Tips
Fresh Thai chile peppers may be difficult to find in grocery stores but can often be found in Asian specialty markets. Choose peppers with deep colors, avoiding those that look soft. Cover Thai peppers and store them in the refrigerator; use them within a week or ten days.

Cayenne
30,000-50,000 Scoville units
Louisiana, Mexico, Asia, Africa

Although available fresh, cayenne peppers are mostly ground into red pepper or incorporated into hot sauces for use in Cajun and other spicy cuisines.

Varieties
Cayenne chile peppers are hot and provide the heat for many spicy dishes. When fresh, cayenne peppers appear wrinkly and may be either deep green or bright red (when mature). They can range between 5 and 10 inches (12.5–25.5cm) long and are generally about 1/2 to 1 inch (1.2–2.5cm) across. The red, mature pepper is hotter than the green. Cayenne peppers tend to be long and hooked and they terminate in a sharp point.

Cayennes are pungent peppers with heat scores that measure between 30,000 and 50,000 Scoville heat units. How high a chile pepper scores on the heat scale is determined by high-performance liquid chromatography measurement of how many parts per million capsaicin it contains. This figure is then converted into the historic Scoville heat units that signify how much dilution is necessary to drown out the chile’s heat. The heat level of a chile is given as a range because it varies with how and where the pepper was grown and how mature it is.

Buying and Storing Tips
Fresh cayenne peppers are available in specialty stores in the produce section. Dried, ground cayenne pepper is available in most grocery stores.

As these peppers mature they turn from green to red in color. They can be used for cooking at any stage, but the red is spicier than the green. Store fresh cayenne peppers in a paper bag in the refrigerator.