Habanero Orange

The habanero chili is one hot pepper! Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, and pink are also seen. The Scotch bonnet is often compared to the habanero, since they are two varieties of the same species, but have different pod types.

Both the Scotch bonnet and the habanero have thin, waxy flesh. They have a similar heat level and flavor. Although both varieties average around the same level of “heat”, the actual degree of piquancy varies greatly from one fruit to another with genetics, growing methods, climate, and plant stress.

The name means “someone or something from La Habana”, or as it is known in English, Havana (“b” and “v” being interchangeable phonetically in Spanish).

The habanero chili comes from the Amazonas region, and from there it was spread through Mexico. One domesticated habanero, which was dated at 8,500 years old, was found at an archaeological dig in Peru. The Yucatán Peninsula is the biggest producer of habaneros these days, but it’s grown in many South American and Central American countries, as well as the southwestern United States.

Taste: habaneros have a unique, citrus-like taste that makes it very popular in hot sauces & salsas.