Tabasco Hot Peppers

Grow the legendary pepper behind the world's most famous hot sauce – Tabasco peppers bring intense heat, fruity flavor, and rich history to your garden. These small, upright peppers ripen from yellow-green to vibrant orange-red and pack serious punch at 30,000-50,000 Scoville units, making them perfect for fermented hot sauces and spicy condiments.

Growing Information

• Days to maturity: 80-100 days from transplant
• Planting: Start seeds indoors 8-12 weeks before last frost; transplant when soil temperature reaches 70°F for best results
• Spacing: 18-24 inches apart in rows 30-36 inches apart
• Sun: Full sun (6-8 hours daily)
• Zones: 3-11 (warm-season annual, perennial in zones 9-11)

Harvest & Use

Harvest when peppers turn from yellow to orange-red and reach 1-2 inches long. Plants are exceptionally productive, producing hundreds of small peppers per season. Ideal for fermenting into authentic Louisiana-style hot sauce, pickling, drying for flakes, or using fresh in salsas and marinades. The fruity, vinegar-friendly flavor profile makes these peppers perfect for sauce-making.

Care Tips

Tabasco peppers prefer warm, humid conditions and rich, well-drained soil. Water consistently and deeply, especially during flowering and fruit set. Plants grow 24-36 inches tall and may require staking when heavily laden with fruit. In warm climates, these can overwinter as perennials. Companion plant with basil or oregano to enhance flavor and deter pests.

Why Choose Tabasco

This heirloom variety offers exceptional productivity, disease resistance, and authentic flavor that's been perfected over 150 years. Whether you're a hot sauce enthusiast looking to craft your own fermented sauces or simply want a prolific, flavorful hot pepper, Tabasco delivers unmatched heat and character.