7 Pot Infinity Chilli

Capsicum chinense '7 Pot Infinity' British-bred superhot chilli, former Guinness World Record holder

The British-bred superhot that briefly held the Guinness World Record for the world's hottest pepper in February 2011. 7 Pot Infinity was developed by Nick Woods of Fire Foods in Grantham, Lincolnshire, through a serendipitous cross-pollination of 7 Pot parent lines, and was named "Infinity" because its heat seems to build endlessly across the palate. Just two weeks after taking the record it was dethroned by the Naga Viper — but the variety has remained a legend in chilli circles ever since, both for the British connection and for the sheer relentless intensity of the heat.

The fruits ripen to a glossy deep red, measure 4–6cm long, and carry the heavily wrinkled, gnarled skin of the superhot Caribbean-lineage chillies — often finished with a distinctive pointed "scorpion tail" at the tip. Behind the extreme heat lies a surprisingly complex flavour: sweet, fruity, faintly floral notes that announce themselves in the first second of tasting, before the heat overwhelms everything else and builds steadily over thirty to sixty seconds into a sustained, shoulder-deep burn that can last twenty minutes or more. At over a million Scoville heat units it sits roughly two hundred times hotter than a jalapeño, in the same exalted company as the ghost pepper and the Trinidad Scorpion.

Like all members of the 7 Pot lineage, Infinity belongs to Capsicum chinense — the species that gives us habaneros, Scotch bonnets, ghost peppers, and most of the world's hottest chillies. That lineage matters for the grower: chinense seeds germinate more slowly and demand more consistent warmth than the easygoing annuum types like jalapeños and cayennes. Give it that warmth, though, and it becomes one of the most spectacular plants in the late-season greenhouse — a vigorous bushy shrub of 60–120cm, hung with forty to eighty brilliant red, gnarled fruits across a long cropping season from late summer into autumn.

This is genuinely a chilli for the experienced grower and the experienced cook. UK outdoor cropping rarely succeeds except in the warmest southern summers; a greenhouse or polytunnel produces dramatically better crops, and finishing indoors under grow lights through October extends the harvest considerably. 7 Pot Infinity is open-pollinated, so seed saved from your best fruits will grow largely true the following year — though as a relatively recent breeder selection, its genetic stability is still settling, and you may see some variation in fruit shape.

A note on growing

Sow indoors from January to February in a heated propagator at 28–30°C. Superhot chinense seeds need genuine warmth to germinate and can take anywhere from 21 to 42 days — patience is essential, as the seeds often appear completely inert for weeks before suddenly emerging, so don't give up on a tray too soon.

Prick out seedlings into 9cm pots once they have two true leaves, and grow on at a minimum of 22°C with bright light. Pot on progressively to final 25–30cm pots, ideally in a heated greenhouse or warm conservatory through April and May, before moving to an unheated greenhouse from June onwards. Water consistently but never let the roots sit waterlogged, and feed weekly with a high-potash tomato food from the first flowers onwards. Pinch out the growing tips at around 30cm to encourage bushy branching and a heavier crop.

Harvest from August through October, once the fruits are fully red, cutting them cleanly with scissors. Always wear gloves and eye protection when picking, handling, and processing the fruit — full safety guidance is shown at the top of this page.

Where it shines

In the kitchen, 7 Pot Infinity is the chilli for the dedicated hot-sauce maker and the seriously experienced spice enthusiast. The fruit-forward complexity behind the heat makes it outstanding for small-batch fermented hot sauces — pair it with apricot, mango, peach, or pineapple for the classic superhot-and-fruit combination. A little goes an extraordinarily long way: use a tiny sliver, literally a few millimetres of fruit, to bring serious heat to a whole pot of curry, chilli, or stew, or dehydrate whole fruits and grind them to a superhot powder for use a single pinch at a time.

In the garden, one plant is genuinely enough to supply most households for a year, and at peak season it is a dramatic, ornamental thing — a glossy shrub heavy with wrinkled scarlet fruit. Greenhouse cultivation is essential for a reliable crop in UK conditions.

At a glance

• Heat: superhot, over 1,000,000 SHU (roughly 200× a jalapeño)
• Flavour: sweet, fruity and floral beneath an intense, building heat
• Plant: bushy shrub, 60–120cm, 40–80 fruits per plant
• Sow: January to February, heated propagator at 28–30°C
• Harvest: August to October, fully red
• Grow under cover: greenhouse or polytunnel essential in the UK
• Open-pollinated: save seed from your best fruits
• Heritage: British-bred, former Guinness World Record holder (2011)

Plant alongside

Chillies do well with companions that draw in pollinators and help keep pests down. Plant alongside French Marigold 'Spanish Brocade' to deter aphids and whitefly, and Calendula 'Neon' to attract beneficial predators. Basil is a traditional greenhouse companion that enjoys the same warmth, and if you'd like two superhots sharing greenhouse space — one red, one yellow — pair it with our 7 Pot Yellow.