Cultivated Tobacco
Nicotiana tabacum
- Native to:
- Bolivia, Guam, Palau, U.S. Minor Outlying Islands
Photo by and (c)2006 Derek Ramsey ( Ram-Man (en.wikipedia.org) )
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Solanaceae
- Genus:
- Nicotiana
- Species:
- Nicotiana tabacum
- USDA Symbol:
- NITA
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Annual | Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 200 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Low
- Bloom Months:
- jun,jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- pink, white
Wildlife Benefits
- Bees:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented bee visitation (GBIF)
- Butterflies & Moths:
- ★☆☆☆☆ Documented Lepidoptera association (GBIF)
- Caterpillars:
- ★★★★☆ Recorded caterpillar host plant (HOSTS Database)
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agrotis venerabilis, bicolored sallow (Sunira bicolorago), black clouded moth (Choephora fungorum), Black cutworm (Agrotis ipsilon), Black zigzag (Panthea acronyctoides), Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni), Cacao moth (Ephestia elutella), clandestine dart (Spaelotis clandestina), clover cutworm (Agrotis gladiaria), corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea), cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera), darksided cutworm (Euxoa messoria), Deterred Dart (Euxoa detersa), dingy cutworm (Feltia jaculifera), Eggplant Webworm Moth (Rhectocraspeda periusalis), Euxoa bostoniensis, Euxoa tessellata, Fall armyworm (Spodoptera frugiperda), Five-spotted hawk moth (Manduca quinquemaculatus), glassy cutworm (Apamea devastator), Gothic dart (Feltia subgothica), Green Cutworm (Anicla infecta), Hydrangea sphinx (Darapsa versicolor), kidney-spotted minor (Lacinipolia renigera), Lacinipolia meditata, mulberry leaftier moth (Glyphodes sibillalis), nutmeg (Discestra trifolii), Old Man Dart (Agrotis vetusta), Orthodes crenulata, Pale-banded Dart (Agnorisma badinodis), pawpaw sphinx (Dolba hyloeus), Phyllira Tiger Moth (Grammia phyllira), Plebeian Sphinx (Paratrea plebeja), Potato tuber moth (Phthorimaea operculella), Protolampra brunneicollis, Rachiplusia ou, rascal dart moth (Agrotis malefida), Salt Marsh Moth (Estigmene acrea), Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), Sharp Stigma Looper (Ctenoplusia oxygramma), Sidus sallow (Eupsilia sidus), Southern armyworm (Spodoptera eridania), Soybean Looper (Pseudoplusia includens), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Striped Garden Caterpillar Moth (Trichordestra legitima), Sweetpotato Armyworm (Spodoptera dolichos), Tobacco budworm (Heliothis virescens), tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta), underworld dart (Agrotis subterranea), Variegated cutworm (Peridroma saucia), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Yellow-striped armyworm (Spodoptera ornithogalli)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- hummingbirds, moths
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
- Fragrant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 5.5 - 6.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- excellent drainage required
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- prefers fertile soils with good organic matter
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 10–20 days
- Notes:
- Seeds require light for germination; surface sow and do not cover. Optimal germination temperature 20-25°C.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI