ChilliFacts

Habanero vs Serrano

Habanero is hotter, at about 225,000 SHU against 15,000 SHU for Serrano: about 15× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 4× to 70×.

Data checked October 20, 2026 · How we rank and verify

A single orange habanero pepper, close up
A single orange habanero pepper, close up. Photo: The original uploader was H at English Wikipedia ., CC BY 2.5.
225,000 SHUHabanero
15,000 SHUSerrano
15×Heat ratio
HabaneroHotter
Pepper X: 2,693,000 SHUDragon's Breath: 2,480,000 SHUCarolina Reaper: 1,641,183 SHUTrinidad Scorpion Butch T: 1,463,700 SHU7 Pot Primo: 1,400,000 SHUKomodo Dragon: 1,400,000 SHUNaga Viper: 1,382,118 SHUTrinidad Moruga Scorpion: 1,200,000 SHUInfinity: 1,176,182 SHU7 Pot Brain Strain: 1,175,000 SHU7 Pot Douglah: 1,170,000 SHUDorset Naga: 1,032,310 SHUGhost Pepper: 1,001,304 SHUNaga Morich: 1,000,000 SHUDalle Khursani: 393,950 SHUFatalii: 262,500 SHURed Savina: 248,556 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUCayenne: 40,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUHabanero · 225KSerrano · 15,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Habanero and Serrano on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

HabaneroSerrano
Typical heat225,000 SHU15,000 SHU
Measured range100,000–350,000 SHU5,000–25,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum chinenseCapsicum annuum
OriginYucatan Peninsula, Mexico (species from the Amazon basin)Mexico (mountains of Puebla and Hidalgo)
FlavourBright tropical sweetness under the heatBright, crisp, green
Coloursorange, red, white, brown, pinkgreen, red

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, 225,000 ÷ 15,000 ≈ 15×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (4× to 70× across the measured ranges).

In between

7 peppers sit between Serrano and Habanero by typical heat.

About each pepper

Habanero: Now most closely tied to Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.

Serrano: 'Serrano' means 'from the mountains' (sierras) in Spanish.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Habanero or Serrano?

Habanero. It averages about 225,000 SHU against 15,000 SHU for Serrano, about 15× as hot.

How many times hotter is Habanero than Serrano?

About 15× using typical values (225,000 ÷ 15,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 4× to 70×.

How hot is Habanero?

Habanero: 100,000–350,000 SHU, lab tested.

How hot is Serrano?

Serrano: 5,000–25,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Habanero and Serrano the same species?

No. Habanero is Capsicum chinense; Serrano is Capsicum annuum.

People also compare

Sources

  1. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Habanero: 100,000-350,000 SHU
  2. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Habanero: 200,000-300,000 average
  3. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Serrano: 7,000-25,000
  4. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Serrano: 5,000-15,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.