Tabasco
Capsicum frutescens 'Tabasco' — the upright little chili behind the sauce.
Origin
Section titled “Origin”A cultivar of Capsicum frutescens, named for the Mexican state of Tabasco; the species comes from the tropical Americas. Unlike most chilis it holds its pods upright above the foliage, ripening from yellow-green through orange to red.
Location
Section titled “Location”Full sun, six hours or more, and real warmth; frost kills it. It runs on the tomato schedule — out once nights are reliably warm, done at frost — unless it overwinters on a bright windowsill: chilis are perennials and fruit earlier the next year.
Watering
Section titled “Watering”Evenly moist, never waterlogged, with daily checks in summer heat. Tomato feed every two weeks once the first flowers set, May to September.
Pruning
Section titled “Pruning”Pinch the growing tips once while the plant is young — each pinch forks the stem, and more forks mean more flowers. After that, harvesting is the pruning; before overwintering, cut it back by about a third.
Repotting
Section titled “Repotting”Yearly in May, one plant per pot of 25 cm or more.
In the kitchen
Section titled “In the kitchen”Fiery, fruity, and prolific — the pepper fermented into Tabasco sauce, though fresh pods do the same work in salsas and marinades. One plant outpaces most households: string surplus pods to dry, or pack them in vinegar for a shake-on hot sauce.