Nicotiana tabacum

RHS Plant Profile

common tobacco plant

Other common names

Queen Mother herb, Virginian tobacco plant

Annual Biennial

A species of fast-growing, tender annual reaching a height of between 1 and 3m, with large, oval-shaped, pale green, sticky foliage. Narrow, trumpet-shaped white, pink or red flowers appear from summer through to the autumn, becoming strongly fragrant in the evening. The leaves are commercially harvested for tobacco production

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Loam

Max Height

1.5-2.5 metres

Max Spread

0.5-1 metres

Size

Time to Maturity: 1 year
Max Spread: 0.5-1 metres
Max Height: 1.5-2.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Loam

Moisture: Well–drained
pH: Acid or Alkaline or Neutral

Position

Full sun Partial shade

Aspect: East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure: Sheltered
Hardiness

Hardiness Ratings

All ratings refer to the UK growing conditions unless otherwise stated. Minimum temperature ranges (in degrees C) are shown in brackets

H1A: under glass all year (>15C)
H1B: can be grown outside in the summer (10 - 15)
H1C: can be grown outside in the summer (5 - 10)
H2: tolerant of low temperatures, but not surviving being frozen (1 to 5)
H3: hardy in coastal and relatively mild parts of the UK (-5 to 1)
H4: hardy through most of the UK (-10 to -5)
H5: hardy in most places throughout the UK even in severe winters (-15 to -10)
H6: hardy in all of UK and northern Europe (-20 to -15)
H7: hardy in the severest European continental climates (< -20): H2

Colour & Scent

Fragrance Flower

Season	Stem	Flower	Foliage	Fruit
Spring
Summer
Autumn
Winter

Botanical Details

Family: Solanaceae
Native to GB/Ireland: No
Foliage: Deciduous
Habit: Columnar upright
Potentially harmful: Harmful if eaten; avoid skin contact. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs): Harmful if eaten; avoid skin contact. For further information and contact numbers regarding pets, see the HTA guide to potentially harmful plants
Genus: Nicotiana can be annuals, biennials, perennials or shrubs, with simple, alternate leaves and tubular or salver-shaped, often fragrant flowers borne in racemes or panicles in summer or autumn
Name Status: Correct

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow in fertile, moist but well-drained, slightly acidic soil in full sun or part shade

Propagation

Propagate by seed, surface sown at 18°C in mid spring

Suggested planting locations and garden types

City and courtyard gardens
Cottage and informal garden
Patio and container plants
Bedding
Conservatory and greenhouse
Flower borders and beds

Pruning

No pruning required

Pests

May be susceptible to aphids, Thrips, glasshouse whitefly and glasshouse leafhopper

Diseases

May be susceptible to grey moulds and to virus diseases