Plants range from 6 to 10 inches tall as bedding plants, perfect for the middle of the border, around 2 to 3 feet tall, and even up to 15 feet tall as a specimen plant. Bloom shapes can vary quite a bit. Some are long tubes with a flared star-like opening, while others are small and borne in large quantities that create clouds of bell-shaped blooms. Many white varieties are wonderfully fragrant at night, emitting a sweet smell similar to jasmine. Flowering tobacco plants generally have medium-green leaves. These leaves can be quite large in many species, especially in comparison to the flowers. They’re usually hairy leaves and can be sticky to the touch, much like petunia plants.
Flowering Tobacco Care Must-Knows
Flowering tobacco plants are extremely easy to grow in well-drained, moist soils. Give them rich soil, and they’ll happily load up on blooms that last until frost. Once these plants are established, they can handle some drought but prefer reasonably consistent moisture. These plants are very heavy feeders, so a slow-release fertilizer is always beneficial. Flowering tobacco plants do best in full sun, and some varieties can perform in part sun. However, taller varieties are much more likely to require staking in more shade. Remember that all tobacco plants are poisonous if ingested, so be careful about planting them around young children and pets. Because of the toxicity of these plants, they’re generally pest free. A few pests, however, have managed to deal with these toxins. For example, you may have problems with the tobacco hornworm, a large green caterpillar that eventually becomes the hummingbird moth. These big bugs can quickly defoliate plants almost overnight. Manual removal is the easiest course of action against them. You may also encounter problems with aphids and whiteflies, but these are usually uncommon in outdoor settings.
More Varieties of Flowering Tobacco
‘Lime Green’ flowering tobacco
Nicotiana ‘Lime Green’ bears chartreuse star-shaped flowers on 2-foot-tall plants. Zones 10-11
Domino flowering tobacco
Nicotiana ‘Domino Series’ bears flowers in shades of red, white, pink, and rose on 14-inch-tall plants.
Jasmine tobacco
Nicotiana alata bears clusters of fragrant greenish-yellow flowers on 5-foot-tall stems. Perennial in Zones 10-11 but usually grown as an annual.
Nicotiana mutabilis
Nicotiana mutabilis bears trumpet-shaped flowers that open white and mature to rich rose pink on 4-foot-tall plants. Perennial in Zones 9-11, but usually grown as an annual.
‘Perfume Deep Purple’ flowering tobacco
Nicotiana ‘Perfume Deep Purple’ is an award-winning selection that bears rich purple flowers on 2-foot-tall plants. Zones 10-11
Nicotiana sylvestris
Nicotiana sylvestris bears clusters of fragrant white trumpet-shaped flowers on plants to 5 feet tall. Perennial in Zones 10-11 but usually grown as an annual.
Flowering Tobacco Companion Plants
Spider Flower
Amazingly, the tall, dramatic spider flower is only an annual. Once temperatures warm up, it zooms to 4 feet or more very quickly. It produces large balls of flowers with fascinating long seedpods that whirl out. Cut it for vases, but be aware that the flowers shatter easily after a few days. It typically self-seeds prolifically, so you only have to plant it once. Because it develops large thorns, it’s best to keep spider flower away from walkways. Plant established seedlings in spring after all danger of frost has passed. Cleome does best in moderately rich, well-drained soil. Be careful about fertilizing, or you’ll have extremely tall floppy plants. Group in clusters of 6 or more for best effect.
Dusty Miller
Dusty miller is a favorite because it looks good with everything. The silvery-white color is a great foil for any type of garden blossom, and the fine-textured foliage creates a beautiful contrast against other green foliage. Dusty miller has also earned its place in the garden because it’s delightfully easy to grow, withstanding heat and drought like a champion.
French Marigolds
Just as you’d expect from something French, these marigolds are the fancy ones. French marigolds tend to be frilly, and some boast a distinctive “crested eye.” They grow roughly 8-12 inches high with a chic, neat growth habit and elegant dark green foliage. They do best in full sun with moist, well-drained soil and will flower all summer long. They may reseed, coming back year after year, in spots where they’re happy.
