Tobacco Plants

A member of the Solanacae family of plants, or nightshades, tobacco can be a beautiful ornamental perennial plant in the landscape, offering different results depending on where it is grown.

A plant variety grown in sandy soil will take on different characteristics when grown in a dark loamy soil.

The leaf colorations can vary from yellow to dark brown, and the size can be anywhere from two to seven feet in height due to environmental differences.

The large, tubular flowers can be red, pink, white, lime green or wine-colored, depending on variety.

It can be grown successfully as far north as Alaska and is an easy plant to grow with proper preparation and planning.

Plant Facts

Tobacco is a self-pollinator, which requires no insects, birds or wind to pollinate its flowers. Because of this, cross pollination between varieties can occur if they are planted too close together. Allow at least a mile distance between varieties to assure pureness of a variety.

To plant a single variety for harvesting as smoking tobacco, you will need a large plot of land, as the plants are large and need at least 2 feet of spacing between each plant and 3 feet between rows.

To grow as an ornamental plant, you can plant as few or as many as your location allows, and the Jasmine and Rose tobacco varieties offer large plants with beautiful flowers.

The leaves of Mountain tobacco plants have been used to make insect repellents, by cutting the stalks at the end of the season, soaking them in water and straining into a spray container. The plant will send up new stalks the following season.

Growing Conditions

Seeds are very tiny and should be planted indoors, in a potting mix of soil and peat humus, six weeks before last frost. Moisten the soil, scatter seeds and gently dust soil over them.

Keep them warm, between 70 and 80 degrees, and give them light. Once they germinate, keep them in a cooler location, about 55 degrees, until ready to transplant outdoors.

Provide a sunny location and well-drained soil for the best results. Till the soil to remove any hard clumps and break up heavy clay soil by adding peat moss.

Water thoroughly and often, and add nitrogen and potash to the soil. Fireplace and barbeque grill ashes can be used for this. If harvesting for smoking, use only organic fertilizers and pesticides.

When weeding, don't dig too deep with a hoe, as the roots remain shallow, just below the soil's surface. Pests can be handpicked off, and are usually tobacco worm caterpillars.

Tobacco plants can be a fun addition to a backyard garden as a focal point due to its leaf size and unique appearance. And as a crop for harvesting, with planning the area needed, the plants can provide a bounty of tobacco.