Grown as much for looks as for the kitchen. The foliage is dark and dusky, near purple, the flowers are purple-flushed, and the little tongue-shaped pods start a glossy purple-black then run through cream, yellow and orange to a final deep red. In strong sun many of them develop tiger stripes on the way. At the height of summer a single plant carries every stage at once.
The name oversells the heat, which is a good thing. This is nowhere near the scorpions and reapers it borrows from. At 50,000 to 100,000 Scoville units it is a proper hot chilli in bird's eye territory and no more, and behind the upfront bite is a fruity, almost apple-like sweetness with a floral note and a good crunch.
It is a Capsicum annuum, so it is quicker and less demanding than the superhots, and it crops generously off a bushy plant of around 75cm. The branches get heavy, so stake it. Give it the sunniest spot you have, because the colour and the striping depend on strong light and a plant in shade comes out dull. Wash your hands after cutting the fruit and keep it away from your eyes.
