The habanero is a variety of chili pepper. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, yellow, and pink are also seen. Typically, a ripe habanero chili is 2–6 cm (0.8–2.4 in) long. Habanero chilis are very hot, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale. The habanero chili comes from the as region, and from there it was spread through Mexico. One domesticated habanero, which was dated at 8,500 years old, was found at an archaeological dig in Peru. An intact fruit of a small domesticated habanero, found in pre-ceramic levels in Guitarrero Cave in the Peruvian highlands, was dated to 6500 BC. The habanero was carried north to the Caribbean via Colombia. Upon its discovery by Spaniards, the habanero chili was rapidly disseminated to other adequate climate areas of the world, to the point that 18th-century taxonomists mistook China for its place of origin and called it Capsicum chinense ("the Chinese pepper"). Today, the largest producer is Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Habaneros are an integral part of Yucatecan food. Habanero chilies accompany most dishes in Yucatan, either in solid or purée salsa form. Other modern producers include Belize, Panama (locally named ajà chombo), Costa Rica, Colombia, Ecuador, and parts of the United States, including Texas, Idaho, and California. While Mexico is the largest consumer of this spicy ingredient, its flavor and aroma have become incregly popular all over the world. The habanero's heat, its fruity, citrus-like flavor, and its floral aroma have made it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and spicy foods.Today, the largest producer is Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. Habaneros are an integral part of Yucatecan food. The habanero's heat, its fruity, citrus-like flavor, and its floral aroma have made it a popular ingredient in hot sauces and spicy foods. The habanero is a variety of chili pepper. Unripe habaneros are green, and they color as they mature. Common colors are orange and red, but white, brown, yellow, and pink are also seen. Habanero chilis are very hot, rated 100,000–350,000 on the Scoville scale.