ChilliFacts

Serrano vs Cayenne

Cayenne is hotter, at about 40,000 SHU against 15,000 SHU for Serrano: about 2.7× as hot, using typical values. Across the measured ranges the gap runs from 1× to 10×.

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

15,000 SHUSerrano
40,000 SHUCayenne
2.7×Heat ratio
CayenneHotter
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 SHUHabanero: 225,000 SHUScotch Bonnet: 225,000 SHUDatil: 200,000 SHUKanthari: 80,640 SHUBird's Eye Chilli: 75,000 SHUTabasco: 40,000 SHUGuntur Chilli: 36,160 SHUKashmiri Chilli: 20,800 SHUByadgi Chilli: 10,000 SHUJalapeño: 5,000 SHUCayenne · 40,000Serrano · 15,0001K SHU10K SHU100K SHU1M SHU
Serrano and Cayenne on the Scoville scale. Each dot is a pepper in our dataset, on a log scale.

Side by side

SerranoCayenne
Typical heat15,000 SHU40,000 SHU
Measured range5,000–25,000 SHU25,000–50,000 SHU
StatusLab testedLab tested
SpeciesCapsicum annuumCapsicum annuum
OriginMexico (mountains of Puebla and Hidalgo)Named after Cayenne, French Guiana
FlavourBright, crisp, greenSharp, clean heat
Coloursgreen, redred

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, 40,000 ÷ 15,000 ≈ 2.7×. Real pods vary, so the gap between any two fruits can be smaller or larger (1× to 10× across the measured ranges).

In between

2 peppers sit between Serrano and Cayenne by typical heat.

About each pepper

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

Cayenne: It shares its name with Cayenne, the capital of French Guiana.

Compare either pepper with another →

Questions

Which is hotter, Serrano or Cayenne?

Cayenne. It averages about 40,000 SHU against 15,000 SHU for Serrano, about 2.7× as hot.

How many times hotter is Cayenne than Serrano?

About 2.7× using typical values (40,000 ÷ 15,000). Comparing the extremes of each measured range gives anywhere from 1× to 10×.

How hot is Serrano?

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

How hot is Cayenne?

Cayenne: 25,000–50,000 SHU, lab tested.

Are Serrano and Cayenne the same species?

Yes, both are Capsicum annuum.

People also compare

Sources

  1. Texas AgriLife Extension (Dr. Joe Masabni), 'Jalapeno & Other Hot Peppers': Serrano: 7,000-25,000
  2. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Serrano: 5,000-15,000
  3. NDSU Extension FN584 'From the Garden to the Table: Salsa!': Cayenne: 30,000-50,000
  4. UF/IFAS Gardening Solutions, 'Peppers Ranked by Heat': Cayenne: 25,000-50,000

Full source lists are on each pepper's page.