Ornamental Flowering Tobacco

Flowering Tobacco Nicotiana sylvestris
[ Approximately 100 seeds per packet ]

'Flowering Tobacco' is generally grown as an interesting ornamental flowering plant. Since their flower heads will reach about five feet in height, they are typically planted towards the back of flowerbeds or along fences. It blooms from July through September with beautiful white flowers that are trumpet-shaped, and attract hummingbirds, bees, and other pollinating insects. They are a nice source of evening fragrance and attract species of pollinating night moths as well.

Related to the tobacco plants that are grown for smoking, and as a matter of fact thought to be one of the original parents of Nicotiana tabacum (the plant species used in modern tobacco products), because they are reportedly low in nicotine, it is not generally considered for, or used as, a smoking tobacco.

Also known as 'Ornamental' tobacco, 'Woodland' tobacco and 'South American' tobacco. Although it is biologically a perennial in its native habitat in the Andes region of Argentina and Bolivia, it is grown as a tender annual here in North America but does often self-seed from year to year without becoming a nuisance.