Ornamental · Solanaceae
Nicotiana
Nicotiana alata
Plant it for the night-scented flowers that perfume the evening garden all summer long.
Full sun
Every 3–7 days
50–86°F · 10–30°C
55–75 days
Overview
Nicotiana, better known as flowering tobacco, is a fast-growing garden annual in the nightshade family, a cousin of the tomato and pepper. It earns its place not in the daytime border but at dusk, when its long tubular flowers open and pour out a sweet, jasmine-like scent. Plant it where you sit on a warm evening and it will fill the air after the sun drops.
It runs tall and upright, from 3 to 5 feet (91 to 152 cm) in the heirloom forms, with airy clusters of white, lime-green, or colored trumpets held above broad sticky leaves. Grown as a tender perennial in the warmest zones, almost everyone treats it as an annual, sowing fresh plants each spring. It often returns on its own by self-seeding.
Easy as it is to grow, flowering tobacco carries a real warning. Every part of it holds nicotine and related alkaloids, which makes the whole plant toxic to people, pets, and grazing animals. It is a plant to enjoy with your nose and eyes, never your mouth.
Care
The short version: full sun to a little afternoon shade, steady moisture in rich soil, and a monthly feed through the season, with the spent flowers deadheaded to keep the bloom coming.
Light
Give nicotiana full sun for the strongest plants and the heaviest bloom. It will take partial shade, and a spot with afternoon shade actually helps where summers turn hot, since the plant fades fast in baking sun.
Water
Keep the soil evenly moist, watering once the top begins to dry, usually every 3 to 7 days. It has little tolerance for drought and will wilt and stall in a dry spell, so don't let it bake out between drinks.
Soil
Plant it in organically rich, well-drained soil that holds moisture without staying soggy. A slightly acidic pH of 5.5 to 6.5 suits it, and a good helping of compost gives the roots what they need.
Temperature
Flowering tobacco grows happily across a wide band, roughly 50°F to 86°F (10°C to 30°C). It is tender, though, so frost ends it, and the plant tends to sulk and decline once the height of summer heat sets in.
Humidity
Ordinary outdoor humidity is plenty, so there's no target to hit. What matters more is steady soil moisture and decent airflow around those broad, sticky leaves.
Feeding
Feed monthly through the growing season with a balanced fertilizer made for flowering annuals. That regular boost keeps a fast grower like this pushing out fresh buds instead of running out of steam.
Pruning
Deadhead spent flowers to keep new ones coming, and pinch young plants to make them branch and grow bushy. If a plant turns leggy or starts to flag in midsummer heat, cut it back hard and it will often rebound.
Size & spacing
Plants reach 3 to 5 feet (91 to 152 cm) tall and spread 12 to 24 inches (30 to 61 cm) wide. Give each one that much elbow room so air moves freely and the tall stems have space to stand.
When to plant
Nicotiana is a frost-tender annual, so the calendar matters. Start the seed indoors in late winter, set the plants out only after the last frost and warm soil arrive, and they bloom from early summer right through to the first frost of fall.
Northern hemisphere
Southern hemisphere
Typical months for a temperate climate: start earlier in warm zones, later where spring frosts linger.
- Sow: 6 to 8 weeks before the last spring frost; seed needs light and should be surface sown
- Plant: After all danger of frost has passed and soil has warmed in late spring
- Harvest: Blooms from early summer (June) until first fall frost; fragrant tubular flowers open at night
Hardiness
USDA hardiness zones: 10–11
Temperature: down to -1°C
Troubleshooting
Most trouble with flowering tobacco shows up on the leaves, whether from a virus, chewing insects, or heat. Catch the early signs and you can usually act before a problem spreads. Match what you see below, then deal with it while it still helps.
Mottled, mosaic-patterned leaves that stay stunted
This is tobacco mosaic virus, and it usually arrives from nearby nightshade vegetables or on your own hands after handling them. There is no cure, so pull and destroy any plant that shows it. Wash up, clean your tools, and keep the plants well away from tomatoes and peppers.
Fix:
- Remove and destroy infected plants
- Wash hands and disinfect tools after handling
- Avoid planting near tomatoes, peppers and other Solanaceae
Ragged holes chewed through leaves and flowers
Beetles and other chewing insects are the usual culprits, and they work hardest in warm weather. Pick them off by hand when you spot them. A labeled insecticide is worth reaching for only when the feeding turns heavy.
Fix:
- Handpick beetles
- Use an appropriate labeled insecticide or insecticidal control if infestation is heavy
Wilting and fading once the heat sets in
Nicotiana has little patience for drought and intense summer heat, and it sags when the soil dries or the afternoon sun beats down. Keep the ground evenly moist and lay down mulch to hold what you give it. In hot southern gardens, a spot with afternoon shade keeps the plant from burning out.
Fix:
- Keep soil consistently moist
- Provide afternoon shade in hot southern climates
- Mulch to conserve soil moisture
Sticky leaves with clustered insects on new growth
Those soft little insects clustered on the buds and leaf undersides are aphids, and the sticky film they leave behind is honeydew. Knock them off with a sharp spray of water first. If they keep coming back, follow up with insecticidal soap or horticultural oil.
Fix:
- Wash aphids off with a strong spray of water
- Apply insecticidal soap or horticultural oil if needed
Toxicity
This is a plant to keep out of reach. Every part of flowering tobacco holds nicotine and related alkaloids, and eating any of it can poison cats, dogs, horses, rabbits, birds, livestock, and people alike. Expect drooling, vomiting, and tremors, with dangerous effects on the heart and breathing when a lot goes down, so site it well away from pets, grazing animals, and small children.
Toxic to
Cats · Dogs · Horses · Rabbits · Livestock · Birds · People
Cats Severe
A cat that nibbles any part of the plant may first turn jittery and then sink into a slump, with drooling, vomiting, and an unsteady walk. Bigger doses bring on tremors, a racing heart, weakness, and in the worst cases collapse.
Dogs Severe
Dogs tend to chew the leaves and stems, and the nicotine hits fast. Watch for drooling, vomiting, a wobbly gait, and tremors, which can give way to a pounding heartbeat, weakness, and even paralysis when a lot is eaten.
Horses Severe
A horse that grazes on it may grow agitated before turning dull and weak. Vomiting, stumbling, and muscle trembling can follow, and a heavy dose is genuinely dangerous.
Rabbits Toxic
The nicotine throughout the plant is not safe for rabbits. Even a small amount of leaf can leave one drooling, off its food, and shaky, so keep flowering tobacco out of reach entirely.
Livestock Severe
Cattle, sheep, and goats poisoned by the nicotine and anabasine show weakness, tremors, and a staggering gait, and severe cases end in respiratory failure. Pregnant animals are at extra risk, since the alkaloids can twist developing limbs into crooked-calf deformities.
Birds Toxic
The alkaloids that load every part of the plant are toxic to birds too. A bird that pecks the foliage or seed can grow weak, lose its balance, and struggle to breathe, so keep flock and pet birds away from it.
People Caution
No part of flowering tobacco is edible, and swallowing the leaves, flowers, or seed delivers a real dose of nicotine. Expect nausea, vomiting, and drooling, with tremors and dangerous effects on the heart and breathing if more goes down, so keep curious children well clear.
Keep all plant parts away from pets, children, and grazing animals; wash hands after handling.
Helpline numbers
United States
ASPCA Animal Poison Control: (888) 426-4435 (fee applies)
Poison Control: (800) 222-1222
Canada
Poison Centres: 1-844-764-7669
Varieties
Flowering tobacco comes in several distinct strains, from towering night-scented heirlooms to tidy day-blooming hybrids. These are the ones you are most likely to find.
Lime Green
This one bears unusual chartreuse to yellow-green flowers that florists love to drop into arrangements.
Grandiflora
A tall heirloom form whose very fragrant white flowers open after dark.
Nicki Series
A compact hybrid strain about 1 to 2 feet tall, carrying flowers in a wide range of colors that stay open through the day.
How to propagate
Nicotiana is grown almost entirely from seed, and it is generous about it, often dropping enough to come back on its own the following year.
SeedModerate
Start indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost or direct sow after frost; surface sow because seed needs light to germinate · Germination in about 1 to 2 weeks, with blooming plants in roughly 2 to 3 months from sowing
Nicotiana grows readily from seed. Start it indoors 6 to 8 weeks before your last frost or sow it straight into warm ground afterward, but scatter the seed on the surface and don't bury it, since it needs light to sprout. Seedlings break ground in a week or two and reach flowering size in roughly 2 to 3 months, and an established plant will often self-sow for next year.
Myths
Flowering tobacco is a harmless ornamental because it is not the smoking tobacco plant.
It is a true Nicotiana, and every part of it carries nicotine and related alkaloids. Eating any of it can poison people, pets, and livestock, so treat the showy flowers with the same caution you would any toxic plant.
Nicotiana flowers are fragrant and showy all day long.
The tubular flowers save their scent for the evening, opening fully and perfuming the garden at night. Each bloom lasts only a single night, though the plant keeps sending up fresh ones through the season.