Description
Nicotiana tabacum
Tobacco species are considered a ‘master plant’ in many indigenous cultures in North and South America due to the plant’s medicinal and spiritual importance. Tobacco was used in religious ceremonies by indigenous peoples long before contact with Europeans. In many cultures the smoke is believed to be the pathway to the spirit world, in others a pinch of tobacco is given as an offering at times of prayer, when consulting with a healer, or when collecting plants from the wild.
Traditional medicinal applications for tobacco species included treating conditions such as sinusitis, gout, intestine parasites and epilepsy.
Tobacco plants are visually striking, with their upright habit and lush bright green leaves, and are also extremely useful allies in the garden. The underside of these leaves is sticky, so small sucking insects like greenfly get stuck to them, reducing the pest pressure on your target plants. For this reason we find them particularly beneficial in our polytunnels. In some places, a ‘tea’ of the leaves has traditionally been made, to spray on plants infected with pests.
The pink flowers are also attractive to bumblebees, moths and butterflies, providing good sources of nectar and pollen. Moreover, Scientists in the UK have discovered that naturally occurring chemicals found in the flowers can reduce infection levels of a common bumblebee parasite by more than 80 per cent. They suggest that the bees are able to ‘self-medicate’ if the plants are available to them.
The ’Burley’ variety of tobacco dates back to the 1860s and is known for its lighter coloured leaf and its ability to be air-cured, which allows it to maintain its lightness and mellowness. It is a high-nicotine, low-sugar variety, commonly used in cigarettes and in pipe tobacco blends. However, we prefer to use it for garden purposes only 😊. (See the second photo for how closely we use it in companion planting).
Tobacco plants enjoy a sunny spot and are short-lived perennials where winters are warm enough. We can overwinter them here in Hawke’s Bay in very sheltered spots only.
Certified organic plant in 9cm pot.
Freight: We can send up to 9 plants this size (in 9cm pots) for the same freight price or they can be combined with other grades but this will incur higher freight costs.
More details of freight and packing charges here
