Tabasco
Heirloom pepper · Capsicum frutescens
- Breeding
- Heirloom
- Growth habit
- -
- Days to maturity
- 80-100 days
- Fruit
- red
- Weight
- -
- Bred by
- -
Commonly confused with
These are different varieties. A name shared between them does not make them the same seed.
- different variety
Malagueta
Both are upright-podded C. frutescens and are routinely substituted; Tabasco is the Louisiana selection behind the sauce, Malagueta the Brazilian landrace.
- different variety
Greenleaf Tabasco
A virus-resistant selection out of Tabasco, not the original line.
Origin & history
The pepper behind the sauce, and one of the few commercially important Capsicum frutescens cultivars. Its small pods grow upright rather than hanging, and unusually they separate cleanly from the calyx when ripe, which is how pickers judge them.
Measurements
| Measurement | Value | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Days to maturity | 80-100 days | Consensus range across the cited sources, which include both independent references and commercial catalogs. |
| Scoville heat | 30,000-50,000 SHU | |
| Pod length | 3-4 cm |
Traits
Disease resistance
No documented disease resistance, typical of heirlooms and older open-pollinated varieties. See pepper diseases for the cultural playbook that fills the gap.
Related varieties
- heirloom
Ají Amarillo
100-120 days
- heirloom
Ají Charapita
100-130 days
- heirloom
Ají Cito
100-130 days
- heirloom
Ají Cristal
90-110 days
- heirloom
Ají Pineapple
100-120 days
- heirloom
Ají Rojo
100-120 days
Explore all pepper varieties · compare any two · when to plant it where you are
Sources & References
Evidence: 3 sources, including 2 independent references.
- Chile Pepper Institute research and variety releases · New Mexico State University, University or Government
- Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds catalog · Baker Creek Heirloom Seed Co., Seed Catalog
- Peppers: Vegetable and Spice Capsicums · CABI (2012), Scholarly Reference