The 7 Pot Bubblegum Family

A Legacy of Fire and Beauty

The 7 Pot Bubblegum — often simply called BBG — is one of the most striking innovations in the world of superhot peppers. Originally bred by Jon Harper in the United Kingdom, this pepper was an experimental cross between a traditional 7 Pot Yellow and a Moruga Scorpion. Its most legendary trait? The "bleeding calyx" — a phenomenon where the pepper’s vibrant color leaches into the stem, creating the appearance of a pepper so hot, it stains the plant itself.

Since its debut, the 7 Pot Bubblegum has inspired a whole family of descendants: hybrids, color mutations, and bleeding variations that push both the aesthetics and the ferocity of the original even further.

Origins

  • Breeder: Jon Harper (UK)

  • Parentage: Trinidad 7 Pot Yellow × Moruga Scorpion

  • Signature Trait: Bleeding calyx — where the stem and sometimes even the branch show coloration from the ripening pod.

  • First Appearance: Early 2010s

Key Characteristics

  • Color: Originally bright red, but now found in peach, yellow, chocolate, and other variants.

  • Heat: Ranges from 350,000 to 800,000+ Scoville Heat Units (SHU), depending on the specific cross or mutation.

  • Flavor: Sweet and fruity up front, followed by a deep, building floral heat.

  • Visuals: Wrinkled skin, medium-to-large pods, and the famous bleeding calyx.

Notable Descendants

Pepper Highlights
7 Pot Bleeding Calyx Bubblegum Peach A peach-colored offshoot with sweet notes and a strong, fast-building heat. Our first Limited Edition release at SpiceQuest.
7 Pot Bubblegum x Naga Peach A hybrid that fuses the bleeding calyx trait with the ferocious, floral heat of the Naga lineage — our second Limited Edition release.
7 Pot Bubblegum Chocolate A chocolate-brown version with deeper earthy flavors and slow-building intensity.
7 Pot Bubblegum Yellow A brighter, slightly sweeter version with moderate bleeding and a quicker heat spike.

Why the Bleeding Calyx Matters

The bleeding calyx is more than a visual quirk — it represents a breakthrough in chili breeding where pigment transference from pod to stem signals deep integration of capsaicin and carotenoid chemistry. In the world of chili enthusiasts, it has become a badge of distinction, a sign of pedigree, and a rare feature that only a handful of peppers in the world can claim.

The SpiceQuest Connection

SpiceQuest’s Limited Edition program started with the 7 Pot Bleeding Calyx Bubblegum Peach — a bold, beautiful pepper that quickly became a fan favorite for its balance of flavor, intensity, and rare aesthetic. The 7 Pot Bubblegum x Naga Peach was selected as our second release because it continues this legendary lineage, while introducing a new dimension of floral firepower from its Naga ancestry.

Sources / References

  • Grower interviews and notes from the Pepper Lovers Community (Facebook)

  • r/HotPeppers subreddit discussions on BBG variants

  • The Hot Pepper Forum threads on Jon Harper’s original BBG

  • Cultivar notes from White Hot Peppers, Refining Fire Chiles, and other specialty seed vendors