How to Grow Texas Reaper Chillies from Seed

September 16, 2026

Chilli Growing Guides · Capsicum chinense

How to Grow Texas Reaper Chillies from Seed

An unfinished F3 Reaper-type selection from an American grower. Larger pods than a Carolina Reaper, no tail, and plenty of variation.

We are going to be unusually blunt about Texas Reaper, because there is very little verifiable information attached to it. It comes from an American grower as an F3 selection, three generations into a breeding line and nowhere near fixed.

The seller's own description runs to a single sentence: pods a little larger than a Carolina Reaper, without the tail, insanely hot, and variable in colour and shape. That is the whole of what is documented. If you enjoy growing something unfinished and seeing what turns up, this is exactly that.

Quick Facts at a Glance

Species

Capsicum chinense

Heat

Superhot, not lab tested

Sow

January to February

Harvest

September to November

Generation

F3, unstable

Difficulty

Full growing method

Texas Reaper is grown like every other Capsicum chinense. Our species guide covers sowing temperatures, potting on, feeding, pollination, overwintering and problems step by step.

Read the Capsicum chinense guide →

About this Variety

The fruit

A little larger than a Carolina Reaper, without the tail. Colour and shape vary.

What is unknown

No laboratory heat figure, breeder, date or parentage has been published.

Who it suits

Growers who enjoy the unpredictable. For a predictable superhot, choose the Carolina Reaper.

Growing note

Grow as any Reaper relative: January sowing, heated propagator, under glass all season.

Superhot handling

Wear gloves and eye protection when picking and processing the fruit. Work in a ventilated room, and keep fruit, seed and plants away from children and pets.