Jay Weaver

Location: Pennsylvania, USA
Known For: Creator of Jay’s Peach Ghost Scorpion and Jay’s Peach Apocalypse

Jay Weaver is a Pennsylvania-based hobbyist breeder whose pepper creations have become cult favorites among growers and chili enthusiasts, especially for their heat, color, and distinctive floral aroma. He is best known for developing the Jay’s Peach Ghost Scorpion, a blisteringly hot pepper that blends traits from the Ghost Pepper (Bhut Jolokia) and Trinidad Scorpion.

Jay began experimenting with pepper crosses in the early 2010s, driven by curiosity and a love of gardening. The Peach Ghost Scorpion emerged from a cross between a red Bhut Jolokia and a Trinidad Scorpion, stabilized over several generations to express a peach-orange color, gnarled skin, and scorpion-style tail. Its heat is ferocious, often measured between 900,000 to 1.1 million SHU, but what makes it stand out is its unique aroma — described as floral, slightly citrusy, and occasionally earthy.

Following the success of the Peach Ghost Scorpion, Jay also released a related strain known as Jay’s Peach Apocalypse, which features a more twisted pod shape and potentially higher heat levels. While less documented, it is widely believed to be a next-generation selection or cross derived from his earlier work.

Jay’s peppers are widely grown and sold by seed vendors such as White Hot Peppers, PepperLover, and other specialty outlets, though Jay himself has kept a low profile. His strains are praised for their stable expression and appeal to growers looking for unique peach-colored superhots with strong tails and intense burn.

Notable Creations:

Legacy:
Jay Weaver’s creations helped define a new aesthetic in superhot breeding — combining peach coloration, intense heat, and gnarly form. His peppers remain among the most distinctive and sought-after by advanced growers and hot sauce crafters.

Sources / References

  1. The Hot Pepper Forum – Grow logs and breeder discussions (2012–2016)
  2. White Hot Peppers – Product pages crediting Jay Weaver
  3. PepperLover.com – Original seed listings
  4. YouTube pod reviews (e.g., Jim Duffy, Pepper Freaks)
  5. Facebook Chili Grower Communities – user testimonials and grow diaries referencing Jay’s lines