FREE: Caribbean Red Habaneros--10 Fresh Seeds

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Caribbean Red pepper plants (Capsicum chinense "Caribbean Red"), an extremely spicy version of the habanero pepper, clocks in at up to 445,000 Scoville units. In contrast, the hottest cayenne peppers reach only 70,000 units on this heat-measuring scale. You can easily grow this type of plant in even a small garden, but take caution; wear rubber gloves and a mask when handling the fruits of this firecracker and use it very sparingly when cooking -- just a few grams of Caribbean Red will heat up a whole bowl of salsa.

Caribbean Red pepper plants grow as small bushes with upright stems. They feature vivid green, ovular leaves with pointed tips and sprout two to six five-petaled flowers per stem, typically in white, yellow, pale green or purple hues. Fruits of the Caribbean Red pepper plant grow about 1 to 2 inches long, featuring wrinkly, bright red skin and a lantern- or bell-like shape.

Easy-to-grow Caribbean Red pepper plants thrive in all climate zones as an annual. These peppers prefer full sunlight exposure, warm temperatures -- about 70 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and 60 degrees at night -- and well-drained soil. They tolerate acidic soil, flourishing in the pH range of 6.0 to 6.8, but do not tolerate frost.

This fast-growing bush produces edible fruits within about 80 to 100 days of planting. Caribbean Red pepper plants bear fruit in abundance and bloom showy flowers in the summer and fall. Fruit may be harvested at the immature green stage or fully ripened red stage. With proper care, the Caribbean Red pepper plant reaches mature heights of about 30 inches and widths of about 15 inches.