Description
Rooster Spur Pepper Seeds from Virgil T. Ainsworth
This treasured version of Rooster Spur peppers comes directly from my dear friend Virgil T. Ainsworth of Mississippi, whose family has grown and preserved it for generations. Unlike the common “Tabasco,” this Capsicum frutescens variety is far superior in flavor and prolificity, producing medium sized, bushy plants loaded with upright, fiery red peppers.
Virgil once wrote me:
“Enclosed are the Rooster Spur peppers we grow. Hope you have good luck with it. My grandmother used to winter these plants over the winter months inside; she would keep them in the house at night and real cold days. She would set them on her porch on warm days. I’ve seen them have pepper in the winter.”
That family care and tradition kept this line pure for decades. Virgil later sent me more seeds, reminding me that “they need good warm soil to come up – they are slow coming up.” It’s this combination of patience and faith that defines the Ainsworth Rooster Spur. For us, after producing some fresh seed stock, we found that they do like a warm germination medium (around 84F as with most Capsicum) but that they come up A LOT faster than those first batches he sent so long ago – around 7-14 days like most peppers.
Virgil also liked to tell me stories about President Jimmy Carter having these peppers quietly brought into the White House so he could enjoy them with his rooster sausage. Whether legend or fact, the story captures the timeless Southern mystique of this pepper. There are only two true Rooster Spurs — and this is one of them. If you want the very best pepper for mash-style hot sauce, this is it. Think of the lively flavor of KZN Peri Peri, but on a plant that stays medium sized, bushier, and yields more in less space.
Name: Rooster Spur Virgil T. Ainsworth
Species: Capsicum frutescens
Origin: Mississippi, USA
Growth Habit: Compact, bushy plants with prolific upright clusters.
Fruit: Slender, upright, red pods about 1–2 inches long, resembling rooster spurs.
Heat Level: 6/10
Flavor: Bright, tangy, and full-bodied — a refined Tabasco-like heat with hints of Peri Peri.
Culinary Uses: Perfect for fermented mash hot sauce, sausages, Southern dishes, pickling, and chili oils.
Climate: 70–95°F, thrives in heat and humidity, full sun.
Soil: Well-draining soil enriched with compost or organic matter.
Watering: Keep evenly moist — not soggy, not dry.
Unique: One of only two original Rooster Spurs in existence, passed down through the Ainsworth family for generations.
Cultivation Tips: Start seeds indoors 4–6 weeks before plant-out. Transplant one plant per container for best results. Follow the 4 Pepper Growing Fundamentals I share in this video: https://youtu.be/KRBxnUKY8Kk?si=Va5Ye2NH3fT0HrlE
Wilder Recommendations: Learn about the wild origins of peppers in South America here: https://pepperguru.com/capsicum-eshbaughii/
