Nicotiana sylvestris

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woodland tobacco plant

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Other common names

flowering tobacco, South American tobacco plant

Synonyms

Nicotiana sylvestris 'Only the Lonely'
Nicotiana 'White Trumpets'

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A branching biennial or short-lived perennial grown as a half hardy annual in colder climates. Growing to 1.5m high, with a basal rosette of elliptic dark green leaves to 30cm in length, and a compact panicle of sweetly fragrant, salver-shaped white flowers to 9cm in length in summer

Position

Full sun, Partial shade

Soil Types

Chalk, Clay, Loam

Max Height

1-1.5 metres

Max Spread

0.1-0.5 metres

Size

Time to Maturity
1–2 years
Max Spread
0.1-0.5 metres
Max Height
1-1.5 metres

Growing Conditions

Chalk Clay Loam
Moisture
Moist but 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
Bushy
Potentially harmful
Harmful if eatenavoid skin contact. Wear gloves and other protective equipment when handling. Pets (dogs): Harmful if eatenavoid 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
Plant Range
Bolivia to NW Argentina

How to Grow

Cultivation

Grow as a half-hardy annual in fertile, moist but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade. Can be overwintered outdoors in southern counties or London gardens where temperatures only occasionally fall to -5°C, resprouting from rootstocks the following spring. Provide a dry winter mulch

Propagation

Propagate by seed

Suggested planting locations and garden types

  • City and courtyard gardens
  • Cottage and informal garden
  • Wildlife gardens
  • 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