Tabasco pepper facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Tabasco pepper |
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Tabasco peppers (ripe and unripe)
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| Genus | Capsicum |
| Species | Capsicum frutescens |
| Cultivar | 'Tabasco' |
| Heat |  Hot |
| Scoville scale | 30,000–50,000 SHU |
The Tabasco pepper is a special type of chili pepper. It comes from Mexico and is part of the Capsicum frutescens family. You probably know it best from Tabasco sauce, which is made using these peppers. They are also used to make "peppered vinegar."
Tabasco plants grow like a bush. Farmers often trim them to make them even stronger. The peppers themselves are about 4 centimeters long and pointy. They start as a pale yellowish-green color. Then, they turn yellow and orange before becoming bright red when they are fully ripe.
These peppers are quite hot! They measure between 30,000 and 50,000 units on the Scoville scale. This scale tells you how spicy a pepper is. Tabasco peppers are unique because they are "juicy" inside, not dry like most other chili peppers. Also, when they are ripe, Tabasco peppers stand upright on the plant instead of hanging down.
In the 1960s, a plant sickness called the tobacco mosaic virus harmed many Tabasco pepper plants. But don't worry! Around 1970, a new type of Tabasco pepper was grown. It was called Greenleaf tabasco and could resist the sickness.
What's in a Name?
These peppers get their name from the Mexican state of Tabasco. When we talk about the pepper itself, "tabasco" starts with a small "t." But when we mean the Mexican state or the famous hot sauce brand, "Tabasco" starts with a big "T."
Growing Tabasco Peppers
Tabasco peppers begin as green and change to orange, then red, as they ripen. It takes about 80 days for them to grow fully after the seeds sprout. The plant can grow up to 1.5 meters (about 5 feet) tall. It has cream or light yellow flowers that turn into peppers later in the growing season.
Since they are from Tabasco, Mexico, these peppers love warmth. Their seeds grow best when the temperature is between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius (77-86°F). If you grow them outside their natural home, plant them 2 to 3 weeks after the last frost. The soil temperature should be above 10 degrees Celsius (50°F) and the weather should be steady.
Peppers can be a bit tricky when it comes to making fruit. If it's too hot or too cold, or if the night temperature drops below 15 degrees Celsius (59°F), fewer peppers might grow. The best place to grow them is somewhere sunny and warm. The soil should be fertile, light, a little bit acidic (pH 5.5–7.0), and drain water well.
Tabasco plants need a steady supply of water to grow well. Growers also make sure the soil has enough phosphorus, potassium, and calcium. They use less nitrogen, as too much nitrogen can stop the peppers from growing.
See also
In Spanish: Chile tabasco para niños
