How Much Hotter Is Dragon's Breath Than a Jalapeño?
Dragon's Breath is hotter, at about 2,480,000 SHU against 5,000 SHU for Jalapeño: about 496× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 310× to 992×.
Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify
Side by side
| Dragon's Breath | Jalapeño | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical heat | 2,480,000 SHU | 5,000 SHU |
| Measured range | up to 2,480,000 SHU | 2,500–8,000 SHU |
| Status | Unverified | Lab tested |
| Species | Capsicum chinense | Capsicum annuum |
| Origin | St Asaph, Denbighshire (Wales) and Nottinghamshire, UK | Mexico (named after Xalapa, Veracruz) |
| Flavour | Initial fruity flavour | Grassy, green-vegetal when unripe |
| Colours | red | green, red (ripe) |
The Scoville maths
The Scoville scale is linear: a pepper at 2,000,000 SHU has twice the capsaicinoids of one at 1,000,000 SHU. So the ratio is a simple division, 2,480,000 ÷ 5,000 ≈ 496×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (310× to 992× across the measured ranges).
In between
26 peppers sit between Jalapeño and Dragon's Breath by typical heat.
- Carolina Reaper1,641,183 SHU
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T1,463,700 SHU
- 7 Pot Primo1,400,000 SHU
- Komodo Dragon1,400,000 SHU
- Naga Viper1,382,118 SHU
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion1,200,000 SHU
- Infinity1,176,182 SHU
- 7 Pot Brain Strain1,175,000 SHU
About each pepper
Dragon's Breath: Owned by Nottinghamshire chilli farmer Neal Price and grown by hobbyist Mike Smith of St Asaph for the 2017 Chelsea Flower Show.
Jalapeño: A Mexican C.
Questions
Which is hotter, Dragon's Breath or Jalapeño?
Dragon's Breath. It averages about 2,480,000 SHU against 5,000 SHU for Jalapeño, about 496× as hot.
How many times hotter is Dragon's Breath than Jalapeño?
About 496× using typical values (2,480,000 ÷ 5,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 310× to 992×.
How hot is Dragon's Breath?
Dragon's Breath: up to 2,480,000 SHU, unverified.
How hot is Jalapeño?
Jalapeño: 2,500–8,000 SHU, lab tested.
Are Dragon's Breath and Jalapeño the same species?
No. Dragon's Breath is Capsicum chinense; Jalapeño is Capsicum annuum.
People also compare
- Dragon's Breath vs Carolina ReaperDragon's Breath 1.5×
- Pepper X vs JalapeñoPepper X 539×
- Carolina Reaper vs JalapeñoCarolina Reaper 328×
- Trinidad Moruga Scorpion vs JalapeñoTrinidad Moruga Scorpion 240×
- 7 Pot Douglah vs Jalapeño7 Pot Douglah 234×
- 7 Pot Primo vs Jalapeño7 Pot Primo 280×
- Trinidad Scorpion Butch T vs JalapeñoTrinidad Scorpion Butch T 293×
- Naga Viper vs JalapeñoNaga Viper 276×
Sources
- Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Jalapeño: 3,500-4,500 average
- NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Jalapeño: 2,500-5,000
Full source lists are on each pepper's page.