Developed at the Innovation Acre at Tyler Farms, the Cherry Habanero pepper was created by crossing the Caribbean Red Habanero and the Red Cherry Bomb pepper. Steve Bender, who created the cross, wanted to create a more mild Habanero while maintaining the fruity flavor. By crossing the Habanero with the very mild Cherry Bomb pepper, Bender was able to develop a mild version of a Habanero that is much more family friendly than the traditional Habanero. The heat level of the Cherry Habanero is closer to a Charleston pepper and Thai pepper as it averages about 75,000 to 125,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU). Although it has a medium heat level, its flavor is still very similar to a typical Habanero. Cherry Habanero has thicker skin than typical Habaneros, making it an excellent option for salsa and hot sauce.
In recent years, Habaneros are becoming more and more mainstream as they are often thought of as the go-to pepper for those looking to spice up a meal. The recent surge in spicy fast food items, spicy chips, and spicy craft beers often list the Habanero pepper as a main ingredient. The Habanero pepper has several different color strains, including the Peach Habanero, White Habanero, Red Savina Habanero, Honey Fire Habanero, and Orange Habanero. The Habanero pepper was the first pepper ever grown at Tyler Farms.
