Flowering Tobacco
A fragrant annual with tubular flowers that release a sweet perfume in the evening, attracting hawk moths and hummingbirds.
On this pageOverview
Meet Flowering Tobacco
A fragrant annual with tubular flowers that release a sweet perfume in the evening, attracting hawk moths and hummingbirds. Nicotiana grows well in partial shade and tolerates a range of soil types with consistent moisture. Taller varieties add graceful height to borders while dwarf types are suitable for containers.
When to plant Flowering Tobacco
Sow nicotiana seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last expected frost. The seeds are extremely tiny, so mix with fine sand for even distribution and press onto the surface of moist seed-starting mix without covering. Seeds require light and consistent moisture to germinate in ten to twenty days at 68 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. Thin seedlings to the strongest in each cell when they have two true leaves. Harden off for one week before transplanting after the last frost date.
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Used once to set your season · never sharedHow to grow Flowering Tobacco
Nicotiana performs best in partial shade to full sun with rich, consistently moist soil amended with plenty of organic matter. Start seeds indoors six to eight weeks before the last frost, pressing the tiny seeds onto the surface of moist seed-starting mix without covering them, as they require light for germination. Transplant outdoors after all danger of frost has passed, spacing plants twelve to eighteen inches apart depending on variety.
Water regularly to keep soil evenly moist but not waterlogged. Nicotiana is more tolerant of shade than most annuals and actually produces richer green foliage with better fragrance when given afternoon protection from intense sun. Apply a two-inch layer of organic mulch to conserve moisture and keep roots cool during hot weather.
Taller varieties such as Nicotiana sylvestris can reach four to five feet and benefit from staking in exposed locations. Deadhead regularly to prolong blooming, though many modern varieties are self-cleaning. Feed every three to four weeks with a balanced liquid fertilizer. Nicotiana self-sows readily in mild climates, producing volunteer seedlings the following spring.
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Flowering Tobacco's best neighbours
Nicotiana pairs well with shade-tolerant companions like begonias, impatiens, and ferns in partially shaded beds. Its evening fragrance complements moonflower and four o'clock plantings in night gardens. The sticky hairs on nicotiana foliage can trap small insect pests, providing some passive pest control. Plant near patios and seating areas to enjoy the sweet evening scent. Avoid planting near other Solanaceae family members to reduce disease transmission.
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Feed it well
Nicotiana prefers rich, humusy soil with good moisture retention and a pH of 5.8 to 6.5. Amend planting areas with generous amounts of compost or well-rotted manure before planting. Feed every three to four weeks with a balanced 10-10-10 liquid fertilizer during the growing season. Container plants benefit from a slow-release granular fertilizer mixed into the potting soil at planting time. Avoid letting soil dry out completely, as nicotiana wilts quickly when drought-stressed.
Ideal Temperature
Hardiness Zone Compatibility
From seed to harvest, stage by stage
Seed Germination
Nicotiana seeds are among the tiniest in the garden, almost dust-like. They require light to germinate and should be surface-sown on moist, fine-textured seed-starting mix without any covering. Maintain consistent moisture and warmth around 20-25°C. Germination typically occurs in 10-14 days under optimal conditions, though it can take up to 21 days in cooler temperatures.
Seedling Development
The emerging seedlings are extremely small and delicate, with tiny rounded cotyledons followed by slightly larger true leaves. Growth is slow initially but accelerates as the root system establishes. Seedlings develop their characteristic soft, slightly sticky leaf texture during this stage.
Rosette Formation
Plants develop a basal rosette of large, broadly oval leaves that can reach 15-25 cm in length. The foliage is soft, slightly sticky to the touch due to glandular hairs, and light to medium green. The root system is expanding rapidly during this period, building the foundation for the flowering stalks to come.
Stem Elongation and Bud Formation
Flower stalks begin to emerge from the center of the rosette, growing rapidly and sometimes reaching 60-120 cm tall depending on the variety. Branching side stems develop along the main stalk, each tipped with clusters of long, tubular flower buds enclosed in green calyxes. The plant takes on its characteristic tall, somewhat lanky architecture.
Peak Flowering
The long tubular flowers open in succession from the bottom of each cluster upward, creating a prolonged display that can last for weeks. Each flower flares into a five-pointed star shape at its opening. Many varieties are intensely fragrant, especially in the evening hours when they release their sweet jasmine-like scent to attract moth pollinators. Flower colors range from pure white and pale green to pink, rose, red, and deep crimson.
Seed Set and Late Season
As the season progresses, pollinated flowers develop small capsules containing thousands of tiny seeds. Plants may continue to produce new flower stalks if deadheaded consistently. Growth slows as temperatures drop in autumn. In frost-free climates, nicotiana may persist as a short-lived perennial, but in most temperate gardens it completes its life cycle with the first hard frost.
Press seeds gently onto the surface of the moistened mix but do not cover them. Use a clear humidity dome or plastic wrap to maintain moisture, and provide bright indirect light or grow lights for 12-16 hours daily.
Caring for Flowering Tobacco month by month
What to do each month for your Flowering Tobacco
July
You are hereNo specific care tasks for this month.
Harvesting Flowering Tobacco
Cut nicotiana flowers for indoor arrangements when several blooms on the spike have opened. Harvest in the evening when fragrance is strongest, cutting stems at an angle and placing immediately in water. For seed collection, allow flower stalks to dry on the plant until seed capsules turn brown and begin to split, then shake seeds into a paper bag. Deadhead spent flower spikes regularly to encourage new bloom stalks throughout the growing season.
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Storage & Preservation
Fresh-cut nicotiana stems last five to seven days in a clean vase with floral preservative. Change water every other day and recut stems. The flowers are best enjoyed fresh, as they do not dry well. Seeds can be collected when pods turn brown, stored in labeled envelopes in a cool, dry place, and remain viable for two to three years. Press individual flowers between book pages for crafting if desired.
What goes wrong — and the fix
Tobacco Mosaic Virus
DiseaseMottled yellow and green patterns on leaves, stunted growth, distorted foliage, and reduced flowering.
Aphids
PestClusters of small soft-bodied insects on tender growth, sticky honeydew deposits, sooty mold on leaves.
Downy Mildew
DiseasePale yellow patches on upper leaf surfaces with grayish-purple fuzzy growth underneath. Leaves wilt and die in humid conditions.
Tobacco Hornworm
PestLarge green caterpillars with white diagonal stripes eating leaves and stems, leaving dark droppings and significant defoliation.
Troubleshooting Common Problems
Nicotiana may become leggy in too much shade, producing tall, weak stems with sparse blooms. Overwatering and poor drainage lead to root rot and fungal issues. In very hot climates, plants may slow flowering in midsummer but rebound when temperatures cool. Some older varieties only open their flowers in the evening, which can be disappointing for daytime gardeners. Choose modern day-blooming series for consistent daytime display.
Growing Tips
- Start seeds indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost date. The seeds are extremely fine, almost like dust, so mix them with a small amount of fine sand before surface-sowing to achieve more even distribution across the seed tray.
- Never cover nicotiana seeds with soil or vermiculite. They require light to germinate and will fail completely if buried. Simply press them gently onto the surface of moist seed-starting mix and mist with a spray bottle.
- Maintain consistent moisture and warmth during germination by using a clear humidity dome or plastic wrap over the seed tray. Remove the cover once seedlings emerge to provide good air circulation and prevent damping off.
- Choose a planting location that receives morning sun and light afternoon shade for the best results in hot climates. In cooler northern regions, full sun is ideal. The flowers open more reliably and last longer when protected from intense midday heat.
- Enrich the planting soil with plenty of compost or well-rotted manure before transplanting. Unlike many ornamental plants, nicotiana is a moderately heavy feeder that rewards fertile, moisture-retentive soil with taller stalks and more abundant flowering.
- Water regularly and deeply, especially during hot weather, as the large, soft leaves lose moisture rapidly through transpiration. Consistent soil moisture prevents wilting and encourages continuous flower production throughout the summer.
- Deadhead spent flower clusters by cutting the stem back to just above the next set of buds or a leaf junction. This redirects the plant's energy from seed production into new flower development and can extend the blooming period by several weeks.
- Plant white-flowered varieties near patios, paths, open windows, or outdoor seating areas where their intense evening fragrance can be enjoyed after dark. The white flowers also glow beautifully in moonlight and low landscape lighting.
- Use nicotiana as a trap crop in the vegetable garden by planting it near tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Whiteflies are strongly attracted to the sticky nicotiana leaves, drawing them away from your edible crops.
- Allow a few plants to set seed at the end of the season for natural self-sowing. Nicotiana readily produces volunteer seedlings the following spring, which can be transplanted or thinned as desired for a free and effortless annual display.
Pick your Flowering Tobacco
Perfume Series
Compact plants reaching eighteen inches with highly fragrant blooms in a range of colors that stay open during the day.
Nicotiana sylvestris
A dramatic five-foot species with long, drooping white trumpet flowers that release intense evening fragrance, ideal for back-of-border planting.
Lime Green
Unusual chartreuse-green flowers on two-foot stems, a favorite of floral designers for adding a fresh, modern accent to bouquets.
Saratoga Mix
Dwarf plants growing ten to twelve inches tall with upward-facing blooms in red, pink, white, and lime, ideal for containers.
Whisper Mix
Elegant muted pastels on three-foot stems with excellent evening fragrance, perfect for cottage-garden borders.
A single packet of nicotiana seeds typically costs $2-4 and contains 200-500 seeds, enough to fill an entire garden border. Because each mature plant produces thousands of seeds, you only need to purchase seeds once and can collect your own supply indefinitely. A six-pack of nursery-grown nicotiana transplants costs $4-8, while growing from seed yields dozens of plants for a fraction of that price. Nicotiana also self-sows freely in many gardens, meaning volunteer seedlings appear each spring at no cost. The plant's ability to attract pollinators improves fruit and vegetable yields throughout the garden, providing indirect savings on produce. Over a five-year period, a self-sustaining nicotiana planting can save $50-100 compared to purchasing annual bedding plants each season.
Quick recipes
Evening Fragrance Garden Bouquet
15 minutesCreate a stunning cut flower arrangement featuring nicotiana stems alongside other fragrant evening bloomers. Flowering tobacco makes an excellent and long-lasting cut flower, with stems remaining fresh in water for 7-10 days. The white varieties continue to release their evening fragrance indoors, filling a room with sweet jasmine-like scent after sunset.
6 ingredients
Moon Garden Container Planting
30 minutesDesign a container planting centered on white nicotiana that transforms your patio into a fragrant evening retreat. The luminous white flowers of Nicotiana alata glow in moonlight and low landscape lighting, creating a magical after-dark display. Pair with other white and silver plants that shine at twilight for maximum impact near outdoor seating areas.
6 ingredientsNicotiana Dried Flower Seed Heads
10 minutes active + 2 weeks dryingThe delicate branching seed heads of nicotiana make attractive additions to dried flower arrangements and winter wreaths. Once the flowers have faded and seed capsules have formed, the architectural stalks take on a warm tan color that adds natural texture and height to dried compositions. This craft project also allows you to save seeds for next season.
6 ingredientsWhat's inside
Health Benefits
- Nicotiana alata serves as an important nectar source for beneficial pollinators including hawk moths, sphinx moths, and hummingbirds, supporting biodiversity in the garden ecosystem and indirectly benefiting the health of nearby food crops through improved pollination.
- The sticky glandular hairs on nicotiana leaves naturally trap small pest insects such as whiteflies, aphids, and fungus gnats, reducing pest pressure on neighboring vegetable and herb plants without the need for chemical insecticides.
- Growing flowering tobacco near outdoor living spaces provides natural evening aromatherapy, as the sweet jasmine-like fragrance has been associated with relaxation and stress reduction in the tradition of scented gardens and healing landscapes.
- Nicotiana plants can be used as biological indicators of ozone pollution, as they are particularly sensitive to elevated ozone levels and develop visible leaf spotting that alerts gardeners to poor air quality conditions.
- Spending time in an evening garden featuring nicotiana and other fragrant nighttime bloomers encourages outdoor relaxation after dark, which can support circadian rhythm regulation and help transition the mind and body toward restful sleep.
- As a trap crop in integrated pest management systems, nicotiana helps protect edible nightshade crops like tomatoes, eggplants, and peppers from whitefly infestations, reducing the need for pesticide applications on food-producing plants.
Where Flowering Tobacco comes from
Nicotiana alata, commonly known as flowering tobacco or jasmine tobacco, is native to southern Brazil, northeastern Argentina, and Paraguay, where it grows as a short-lived perennial in subtropical grasslands and forest margins. The species was first described scientifically in 1825 by the German botanist Johann Heinrich Friedrich Link and the Czech botanist Christoph Friedrich Otto, based on specimens cultivated in the Berlin Botanical Garden. The genus Nicotiana was named by the Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus in honor of Jean Nicot de Villemain, the French ambassador to Portugal who introduced tobacco plants to the French court in the 1560s. While commercial tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) was cultivated for its leaves, Nicotiana alata attracted attention purely for its ornamental qualities and remarkable evening fragrance. European plant collectors brought seeds back from South America during the 19th century, and by the 1880s flowering tobacco had become a popular bedding plant in Victorian gardens throughout Britain and continental Europe. Gardeners prized its tall, elegant flower stalks and the intoxicating jasmine-like scent that perfumed summer evenings. During the 20th century, plant breeders developed numerous cultivars with expanded color ranges including pink, rose, red, crimson, and lime green. However, many modern compact hybrids sacrificed fragrance for daytime flower opening and shorter stature. In recent decades, there has been a renewed interest in the original fragrant species and heirloom varieties among cottage gardeners and moon garden enthusiasts. Nicotiana alata has also attracted scientific interest for its role in pollination ecology, as its long tubular flowers and nocturnal fragrance make it a model species for studying plant-moth coevolution. Today, flowering tobacco is grown worldwide as an annual ornamental in temperate gardens and as a tender perennial in frost-free subtropical regions.
Flowering Tobacco: did you know?
Fascinating facts about Flowering Tobacco
Nicotiana alata flowers open in the late afternoon and release their strongest fragrance at night, an evolutionary adaptation to attract hawk moths whose long proboscises can reach the nectar at the bottom of the deep tubular flowers.
Flowering Tobacco questions, answered
When should I plant Flowering Tobacco?
What are good companion plants for Flowering Tobacco?
What hardiness zones can Flowering Tobacco grow in?
How much sun does Flowering Tobacco need?
How far apart should I space Flowering Tobacco?
What pests and diseases affect Flowering Tobacco?
How do I store Flowering Tobacco after harvest?
What are the best Flowering Tobacco varieties to grow?
What soil does Flowering Tobacco need?
Is nicotiana (flowering tobacco) the same as smoking tobacco, and is it safe to grow?
Why do my nicotiana flowers only open in the evening and close during the day?
Can nicotiana survive winter and come back the following year?
What are the best companion plants to grow alongside nicotiana?
How do I collect and store nicotiana seeds for next year?
My nicotiana plants are tall and leggy. How can I encourage bushier, more compact growth?
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From the “Overview” sectionPlant these alongside Flowering Tobacco
More Annuals
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