Many gardeners are passionate fans of this flower. What is his advantage and why is he so attractive? First of all, fragrant flower has a charming, original and delicate aroma, which in its tenderness and sweetness is comparable to night violet. The color palette has the purest shades, and the flowers themselves are large in size, so when they bloom they immediately attract the eye and become a real decoration of any garden.

The homeland of this magnificent summer plant is South America. Thanks to the research and travels of the famous explorer and navigator Christopher Columbus, today we have this magnificent plant in our gardens and parks. Moreover, the flower has nothing in common with the type of tobacco from which smoking mixtures are made.

Fragrant tobacco is grown in temperate climates as an annual plant, although in essence it is a perennial.

The family this belongs to herbaceous plant, has the name Solanaceae. The fragrant flower grows up to a meter high, although there are low-growing varieties that do not stretch more than 20 cm. The plant has an erect stem, large leaves, which have a more rounded shape closer to the roots, and elongated further along the stem. All parts are covered with dies. The flowers look like stars, the size of which also varies depending on the variety. The colors are amazing. Species and varieties offer shades of all the colors of the rainbow: yellow, white, crimson, pink and red. Distinctive feature more delicate shades are that they have a brighter smell.

If you intend to see lush flowering at sunlight, then you should prepare for the fact that this may not happen. Their modest beauty is revealed only after sunset, when evening comes. It is at this time of day that perennial fragrant tobacco appears in all its splendor and fills the surrounding area with an incomparable fragrance. Many gardeners love it for its understated sophistication. The plant begins to bloom in June and continues throughout the summer, until September. This is another important advantage of fragrant tobacco.

Types and varieties of fragrant tobacco with photos

The nightshade family is very diverse, so all presented species are called “fragrant tobacco” and are found wide application in gardening.

Wild tobacco. A type of tall plant, for planting in the background in flower beds and mixborders, as it has a height of 80 cm to one and a half meters. It looks like a straight stem with white, slightly drooping flowers (see photo). Has a strong aroma. The homeland of this magnificent species is Brazil. Thanks to the efforts of breeders, a container type of this crop was recently developed, with a height of only 25 cm.

Langsdorff tobacco. An annual plant up to 120 cm in height and with bell-shaped flowers of a light green hue. The homeland is Chile and Brazil, it is in these countries that the flower reaches such a height; in its cultivated form it is lower, from 60 to 85 cm, and is called Cream Splash (see photo).

Winged tobacco. Cultivated as an annual
flower, although it is a perennial. It has a height of up to 75 cm, elongated leaves, and a hairy surface. Tubular flowers can be cream, white, or carmine. They reach a length of 7.5 cm and bend 5 cm to the sides, looking like large and loose panicles (see photo). Flowers of this variety also have low-growing varieties that do not require tying and can bloom even in daylight.

Among the forms and varieties of winged tobacco we can name those popular among gardeners:

• Red Devil is a compact plant up to 40 cm, blooming during the day in dark red shades.
• Evening Breeze - has red flowers with a crimson tint, the stem grows up to 60 cm.
• White Bedder - also does not close during the day, blooms with white colors, and has a height of up to half a meter.
• Crimzock Rock is an outstanding Flowerselect award winning variety. The shade is red-raspberry, height up to 6 cm.
• Domino Samen-Pink - compact small curtains up to 30 cm with salmon-pink flowers.
• Lime Green – Blooms light green tint, height up to 70 cm.

The following varieties are extremely popular: Lunevsky, Night Bonfire, Green light. As for other series and varieties, here you must definitely remember about the fragrant tobacco varieties:

• Sensation – about 60 to 95 cm;
• Niki - up to 30 cm with colors from white to dark crimson;
• Havana, Perfume, Roll - low-growing plants with a variety of colors;
• Avalon - from 15 to 35 cm;

Tobacco Sander– a hybrid bred from varieties of winged tobacco and Forget. It usually has white and red-carmine flowers, but does not smell like the rest of the series. Sander is the basis on which many varietal groups have been developed:

• Toxido Lime - has a lemon-yellow color;
• Toxido Samel-Pink - pink and salmon flowers.

Among tall varieties and hybrids (90 – 150 cm), the following have gained particular popularity:

• “Ringing bell”, capable of delighting with elegant red flowering from June to October.
• "Aroma Green", a spreading flower with fragrant green bells.
• “Pleasure” is a disease-resistant hybrid that grows quickly and blooms profusely all summer.
• "Maju Noir" has an exotic aroma and snow-white flowers.
• “Dolce Vita F1” does not close for the day and amazes with a variety of color shades.

Growing all these varietal groups is a real pleasure, just imagine this variety of tones and riot of colors, delighting and gushing households not just for one month, but almost the entire summer. However, in order to get this splendor, you should work hard long before you start. summer season. Let's consider the entire process of growing annual flowers, from planting seeds to planting finished seedlings in open soil.

Growing fragrant tobacco from seeds

It is best to sow the seeds of the plant earlier, no later than the last ten days of February or the beginning of March. This is necessary due to the fact that the overseas flower is a plant that requires well-warmed soil. Seedling method sowing is the most guaranteed for obtaining healthy seedlings.

Prepare a bowl or container with a lid and fill it with a substrate of humus, peat and soil from the garden. Take all components in equal parts. Before sowing, three to four days, place the seeds in damp gauze or loose fabric. Here it is necessary to stop the swelling in time and prevent the sprouts from pecking.

Seeds should not be planted in the soil; they should remain on the surface. Spray them with a spray bottle warm water and cover the container with a lid or film. The temperature must be at least 22 degrees. If all conditions are met, seedlings will appear on the 13-14th day. After the sprouts appear, place the container in a light and warm place, and remove the cover.

Planting fragrant tobacco in open ground

Until the moment when the seedlings are planted in open space, they should be gradually accustomed to open space. You can take the containers out to the loggia or veranda every day. One hour a day is enough for the sprouts to adapt to more low temperatures. Tobacco is planted in a flower bed after establishing a constant warm weather As a rule, this happens at the end of May. By this time, the night return frosts will have passed, and the plants will feel quite comfortable.

How to plant fragrant tobacco

Choose a protected area; the flowers should not be disturbed by strong winds or drafts, but direct rays of the sun are not advisable. Make the soil as light and fertile as possible; this ornamental tropical plant loves fertile soil with humus and compost. The planting site must be well drained.

It is advisable to adhere to a certain pattern so that the flowers do not interfere with each other and at the same time can create a beautiful and lush composition. According to experienced gardeners The holes are best made according to a pattern of 20 - 25 cm from each other. The specificity of plants is that they quickly grow upward and then spread along the soil.

Place a pinch of superphosphate in the prepared hole, then, together with a lump of earth, transfer the seedling and fill the hole with earth, lightly compacting the soil. Be sure to water the seedlings.

Caring for fragrant tobacco

Caring for this flower is not difficult; the main points come down to constant weeding, watering and loosening. It is also very important to fertilize and spray against pests. It’s good if you find time to remove dried and faded flowers, then the bush will be constantly fresh and well-groomed.

Watering is done frequently and abundantly; fragrant tobacco loves moisture, especially in hot weather. Mineral fertilizer is necessary for nutrition, but excessive use of nitrogen can lead to a riot of green mass to the detriment of flowering. Therefore, flowers should be fertilized no more than once every two weeks.

Winter storage

If you do not want to disturb the plant at the end of the season, with the onset of cold weather you should dig up the bush and transplant it into a pot or spacious container (see photo). It is necessary to shorten all shoots by one third and place them in warm room. Water if necessary all winter, and in the spring, when the soil warms up to the desired temperature, plant again in its original place.

Fragrant tobacco grows well in partial shade and in places with diffused light, in the shade of bushes and trees. Looks good both in rock gardens and on alpine slides. Grows well in containers and flowerpots.

Diseases and pests

It is noteworthy that pests and diseases do not really like this plant. The fact is that all its parts contain phytoncides, which serve as reliable protection against harmful insects and bacteria. It is recommended to plant fragrant tobacco next to vegetables in order to useful substances extended their effect to their neighbors.

Fragrant tobacco is not only an aroma and a bright riot of colors throughout the season, it is also reliable assistant gardener in the fight against infections and insect pests.

We examined the most important points regarding planting, growing and caring for wonderful summer plants, which give a lot of positivity and positive emotions. We can only hope that all this will one day be realized in your garden.

One of the most popular and well-known summer aromatic plants is fragrant tobacco. It belongs to the Solanaceae family and was introduced back in the 15th century by the famous traveler and discoverer Christopher Columbus. Today tobacco is grown not only for smoking, but also as a decorative garden flower.

The plant lives only one season, but true amateur gardeners give great preference to such a flower. Growing from seeds will not cause much trouble even to the most inexperienced gardener.

The flower is sown in spring: in March or April, in greenhouse conditions or at home. The plant is very heat-loving, in principle, like any summer plant. Prefers light and fertilized soils. However, if you are faced with clayey soil in the garden, then for good growth you need to dig it up and fertilize it abundantly. The seeds of fragrant tobacco are quite small: from one gram of seeds you can get up to five thousand flowers such as fragrant tobacco. Growing from seeds must begin by pressing them into the ground. It is not recommended to sprinkle soil on top, since the seeds themselves are very small. Sowing must be covered with polyethylene or glass. On the fifteenth day, flower shoots appear, after which the temperature in the room should be slightly reduced. When the leaves appear, fragrant tobacco, the cultivation of which is not particularly complex process, must be transplanted into separate pots for each flower.

By the time the seedlings become stronger, the flower must begin to be hardened in the fresh air. With the onset of consistently warm summer weather, the plant must be transplanted into outdoor soil. Flower bushes are located at least twenty centimeters from each other. They also need to be provided with moderate watering. Do not overdo it with water, as fragrant tobacco does not like excess moisture. Growing from seeds is not the only way reproduction. The flower can also reproduce by self-sowing. However, the flowering of such a plant will begin only in the second half of the summer season.

In cases where it is necessary to preserve the flower, before the onset of cold weather it is necessary to transplant it into a pot and bring fragrant tobacco into the warmth. Growing from seeds requires certain knowledge. So, you need to remember that the flower tolerates a lack of heat, light or moisture, as well as

slight drops in temperature. The plant is a phytoncide - this means that some types of pests are not afraid of it.

A few bushes of a well-developed plant can fill an entire garden with a pleasant aroma. Especially fragrant tobacco in the evening. Having a couple of bushes, for example, on your balcony, you will be provided with abundant flowering until late autumn.

The most common are white tobacco flowers. During the day the flower is closed and has almost no odor. However, now hybrids with pink or red flowers are often found. The smell of such flowers is no less pleasant and will fill your garden with a strong honey aroma even in daytime days.

Sweet tobacco is a herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family. Originally from Central America, where in warm climates it grows for many years, and in temperate climatic zone cultivated as a summer plant. It is not much similar to its brother, which is the main source of the bad habit.

The bushes of fragrant tobacco are compact, pyramidal in shape, about 25 cm high. With regular watering they can reach more impressive sizes - 60-80 cm. The stem is covered with glandular hairs that protect the plant from scorching heat. sun rays. They also help to obtain additional moisture by retaining dew.

Sheet plates oval shape, oblong, with pointed tips. At the bottom of the bush they are larger, higher up they are smaller.

When does fragrant tobacco bloom?

The plant blooms all summer and withstands the first autumn frosts.

The inflorescences resemble bindweed or morning glory: long tubes with a star-shaped bend. The diameter of the corolla is 6-8 cm. The colors are bright: snow-white, pink, crimson, red; breeders have developed forms with yellow and greenish tints.

Lush flowering is accompanied by a charming aroma - its sweetness can compete with night violet. During the daytime, the corollas of fragrant tobacco are covered, and with the onset of evening they open, rising above the bush like a fragrant cloud. They create a romantic mood and will become a bright decoration of your garden.

Growing fragrant tobacco from seeds at home

The plant self-sows abundantly, but after snowless, frosty winters the seeds do not always germinate and the sprouts are weak. IN open ground seeds of fragrant tobacco are sown only when real warmth is established (not earlier than May). From the point of view of flowering productivity, this is not the best method. Growing through seedlings can rightly be called the most reliable option.

When to sow fragrant tobacco?

Sow fragrant tobacco seeds in March. You will need flat containers with a nutrient soil mixture (humus, peat, garden soil in equal proportions).

• The seeds are very small: they should be carefully distributed over the surface of the ground, lightly sprinkled with soil, and then sprayed with a microdisperse sprayer.
• To create greenhouse effect Cover the top with glass or transparent oilcloth.
• It is necessary to maintain the air temperature within 18-22 °C.
• Friendly shoots will appear after 1.5-2 weeks.
• During this time, do not forget to ventilate the greenhouse and maintain moderate soil moisture.
• Remove the shelter as soon as the first shoots appear, the air temperature should be lowered to 16 °C, provide bright but diffused lighting.

Overmoistening of the soil is fraught with the development of root rot (blackleg). Water moderately and add water carefully.

After the sprouts have two true leaves, they should be planted in separate containers or broken through less frequently, leaving 3-4 cm between plants. When replanting, try to capture the root along with the previous lump of earth. To stimulate tillering, pinching the tops above 5-6 leaves.

How to plant fragrant tobacco seedlings in open ground

Transplanting into open ground (do this with real heat established) should be preceded by two weeks of hardening of the seedlings. First, take the plants out to fresh air for 1 hour, gradually increasing the length of time until the seedlings can stay in the garden all day.

Carry out the transplant using the method of transferring an earthen clod. Between individual bushes, keep a distance of 20-30 cm, for tall varieties - 80 cm-1 m.

Dig up the area first. If the soil is depleted, add a little humus or compost for digging 1-2 weeks before planting. Don't over-fertilize (too much nitrogen can be harmful).

Place for growing fragrant tobacco

Fragrant tobacco is not demanding in terms of growing conditions; it will delight you with spectacular flowering in different, even contradictory, conditions. He received the title of summerman, capable of growing in almost any place. It easily adapts to bright sunlight: even on the south side of a rock garden, rock garden, or flower bed it will look fresh. But a location in slight shading is preferable. Grows well in cultivated garden soil.

Caring for fragrant tobacco in open ground

Watering

Fragrant tobacco is moisture-loving. In order for the bushes to successfully develop and bloom (especially under bright lighting), they will need to be watered regularly and abundantly. Avoid periods of prolonged drought. Focus on precipitation. The soil should be constantly slightly moist. It is preferable to water in the morning or evening.

Top dressing

Does not need frequent feeding. It is enough to feed a couple of times per season (during budding and at the beginning of flowering). Apply along with watering a standard dose of complete mineral fertilizer(for flowering crops or nitrophoska). This promotes abundant lush flowering.

Removing faded buds

As a rule, faded inflorescences do not in any way affect the formation of new buds; flowering continues tirelessly. But dry whisks spoil decorative look, the bush looks neglected, especially when located in the foreground. It is to maintain a neat appearance that they should be removed in a timely manner.

Diseases and pests

Fragrant tobacco is not only resistant to diseases and pests itself, but also has a protective effect for neighboring crops. It is a natural fungicide: it will decorate the site and prevent the majority of garden pests and diseases.

Fragrant tobacco in landscape design

The aroma of fragrant tobacco is most pronounced in the evening - place it along verandas, gazebos, garden benches, in the front gardens under the horses, near the porch.

Fragrant tobacco Nicotiana alata ‘Lime Green’, aster Aster ‘Skyscraper’ and zinnia Zinnia ‘Giant Salmon’ in a flower bed photo

Fragrant tobacco is combined with,, and many other flowers.

An interesting combination is obtained with petunias and, against the background of low-growing ground covers.

Plant fragrant tobacco in containers, pots and flowerpots to decorate balconies and terraces.

Hybrid varieties whose corollas do not close during the daytime look great in garden beds, mixborders, rockeries, and alpine slides.

Fragrant tobacco looks very elegant as a decoration for facades and areas adjacent to buildings. Planted in flowerpots, the flowers are attractive not only in appearance, but also in their amazing aroma.

Compositions in flowerpots decorating the porch of buildings look very beautiful. Show a little imagination: fragrant tobacco can be planted with, petunia and.

Types and varieties of fragrant tobacco with photo names and descriptions

Wild tobacco Nicotiana sylvestris

Erect shoots are 80 cm-1.5 m high. Originally from Brazil. The flowers are snow-white, drooping, and exude an intense aroma. Dwarfs with a height of 25 cm were bred.

Langsdorff's tobacco Nicotiana langsdorffii

An annual herbaceous plant about 1.2 m high. The flowers have a yellow-green hue and a mild aroma. In its natural environment it lives in Chile and Brazil. The Krm Splash variety is popular: the height of the bush is 60-90 cm.

Winged tobacco Nicotiana alata or Nicotiana affinis

Compact bushes 60-70 cm high. Corollas of white, cream, crimson, fiery red hue open in the evening, but breeders have done work in this regard: varieties have been bred that bloom during the day.

The most popular varieties:

Fragrant tobacco Domino white Nicotiana ‘Domino White’ photo

Evening Breeze - bushes about 60 cm high with red-crimson flowers.

Red Devil - no more than 40 cm high, dark red flowers.

Fragrant tobacco Domino Crimson Nicotiana alata ‘Domino Crimson’ photo

Crimson Rock - plant height is 45-60 cm. The flowers are a bright crimson-red hue.

Fragrant tobacco White Bedder photo

White Bedder - half-meter bushes covered with snow-white inflorescences.

Lime Green - the height of the bush is 75 cm, the flowers are lime-colored.

Domino Samen-Pink - low-growing bushes (about 30 cm). The flowers have a salmon-pink hue.

Pay attention to the variety mixtures:

Sensation series – height is 60-90 cm.

The Niki series are dwarfs 30 cm high, colors vary from snow-white to various shades of crimson.

Havana series – height 35cm, varied colors.

Avalon series - stem height within 15-30 cm.

The Roll and Perfume series are low-growing varieties with brightly colored corollas.

Tobacco Sander Nicotiana x sanderae

Garden hybrid. The flowers are large, white or fiery red, devoid of aroma.

The first generation of varieties bred from this hybrid is Tuxedo. These are bushes about 20 cm high, ideal for container growing.

Popular varieties of the series:

• Tuxedo Saman Pink - coral-colored corollas;
• Tuxedo Lime - has a lemon-lime hue of flowers.

Tobacco mutabilis nicotiana mutabilis

Tobacco mutabilis is distinguished by its high growth, up to 1 meter, and a chic paniculate peduncle with many branches and flowers.

Fragrant tobacco is an annual plant decorated with beautiful flowers resembling stars and possessing a unique, enchanting aroma. Its homeland is Central America, where it is cultivated as perennial. Today, many varieties have been created with brightly colored flowers that open their buds not only in the evening, but also during the day.

General characteristics

Nicotiana affinis is the Latin name for the fragrant tobacco, the photo of which you see. This is a herbaceous plant of the Solanaceae family, with erect stems, the height of which can vary from 20 to 130 cm. It has rather large solid, elongated oval leaves and star-shaped flowers with a diameter of up to 8 cm, collected in loose paniculate or racemose inflorescences, which occur in nature only white.

All parts of this plant are covered with special glandular hairs that secrete sticky substances with a rather specific odor, and also protect the flower from sunburn.

Multi-colored varieties

In nature, fragrant tobacco is found only with white flowers. Modern breeders have created many varieties whose flowers are colored in raspberry-red, lemon-green, lilac and pink shades. Here is a list of some popular and interesting varieties in color:

• "Night Bonfire" is a bush about 60 cm high, with flowers of intense crimson color.
• "Green Light" - grows up to 50 cm, flowers have a pleasant lemon shade.
• "Fragrant Harbor Blue" - the flowers are painted a rich blue, and the bush can grow up to 60 cm.
• "Sunny Bunny" - can grow up to 60 cm, blooms with rich yellow flowers.
• "Lilac fog" - decorated lilac flowers, height - 60-75 cm;
• "Ringing bell" has a tall stem, up to 90 cm, the flowers are painted soft pink.

The photo below clearly demonstrates how varied the color of fragrant tobacco is.

How to grow it?

In the southern regions, fragrant tobacco is grown by sowing the seeds directly into open ground and slightly compacting the soil. In the conditions of the middle zone, in order to admire its flowering, it is better to plant this heat-loving plant and grow it with seedlings. When the return frosts pass, the seedlings grow and become stronger, it will be possible to transplant fragrant tobacco into the garden. Planting and care (the photo you see clearly confirms this) is accessible even to the most inexperienced gardener.

We grow seedlings

Usually the seeds of this flower are planted for seedlings from mid-March and in the first weeks of April. Fragrant tobacco produces the first shoots in about 9-13 days, the period of their appearance depends on the light and temperature of the room where the seedlings are located. Here are the main stages of growing this annual plant in seedlings:

1. Containers prepared in advance and filled with soil are well shed with water at room temperature.
2. Tobacco seeds are very small. They can be mixed with fine washed river sand and sprinkled evenly over the ground with this mixture, or simply gently poured onto the surface of damp soil, then gently press them in with the palm of your hand.
3. The seedling boxes are covered with a sheet of transparent organic glass or film, after which they are placed in a warm and well-lit place, with a temperature from +18 o C to +20 o C.
4. Before the seeds hatch, the soil is moistened with a spray bottle once every two days.
5. The seeds will sprout in 9-14 days and grow very quickly. At this time, it is advisable to lower the temperature to +16-17 o C and water moderately.
6. The first real leaf of fragrant tobacco is thrown away after about 20 days.
7. After the first pair of true leaves appear, you can begin picking the seedlings.
8. About a month after picking, the seedlings will become stronger and have a good root system and large leaves. During this period, watering should be done rarely, as the soil dries out.

Fragrant tobacco: planting and care

It is best to plant seedlings of this flower in open ground in early June, after the return frosts have passed and the soil has warmed up well. This plant is heat-loving and can be planted in more early dates will require additional covering of flowers in case of cold weather, as well as at night. As already mentioned, at the beginning of summer you can plant young fragrant tobacco in the garden; the planting of seedlings should be quite rare. Between plants you need to maintain a distance of 30-50 cm, depending on how tall the flower is. Plants planted in open ground must be watered, and if the sun shines very brightly, then shade the plants using old newspapers or a piece of nonwoven fabric to prevent burns.

How to water and feed?

Fragrant tobacco is unpretentious to soils, but it should be remembered that due to large leaves Because they absorb and evaporate a lot of moisture, plants need to be watered daily, especially in dry and hot weather. You can feed with fertilizers, but preferably complex ones, with a small content of nitrogenous components. If there is an excess of nitrogen, the flower will begin to “fatten”, and instead of flowers you will have a beautiful carpet of juicy and green leaves.

Sun or shade?

This question plagues many gardeners who plant fragrant tobacco. Planting and care (the photo below shows this) both in the sun and in light shade are approximately the same.

The difference will only be in the amount of water that will need to be used to water the plants. It is better not to plant these flowers in areas illuminated by the sun all day, or exposed to all winds. Flowering, and myself appearance Such instances, most likely, will not please you. The flowering of fragrant tobacco begins in mid-June and continues until mid-September, although many gardeners enjoy it until the autumn frosts. And if spring frosts This plant does not tolerate, but in the fall a stronger bush can withstand temperatures down to -4 0 C.

Description of the fragrant tobacco plant, how to plant and care for it in the garden, recommendations for propagation, protection from pests and diseases, interesting notes, types and varieties.

Fragrant tobacco (Nicotiana suaveolens) is also found under the name Ornamental tobacco and belongs to the Solanaceae family, which includes dicotyledonous sphenoletal plants. Their corolla has petals whose edges are more or less fused together. The native lands for the growth of tobacco varieties are in South America, where most of them are distributed. You can also find some of them in North America, in Mexico, on the Australian continent and even on the islands Pacific Ocean. This type of tobacco, along with Sander Tobacco (Nicotiana x sanderae), is used as an ornamental crop around the world.

Family name	Solanaceae
Life cycle	Mostly annuals, sometimes perennials
Features of growth	grassy
Reproduction	Seed (growing seedlings)
Open ground planting period	Seedlings are planted in mid-late May (early June)
Disembarkation scheme	When planting, maintain a minimum distance of 20–30 cm between seedlings.
Substrate	Light, not too nutritious
Soil acidity, pH	Neutral or slightly alkaline - 7–7.5
Illumination	In bright sun or partial shade
Humidity indicators	Watering abundantly and regularly, the soil should not dry out too much
Special requirements	Unpretentious
Plant height	0.2–0.9 m
Color of flowers	White, yellow, red, pink
Type of flowers, inflorescences	Racemose or paniculate
Flowering time	All summer period until the cold weather
Decorative time	Summer-autumn
Place of application	Flower beds, mixborders, landscaping borders and growing in containers, rock gardens or rockeries
USDA zone	4–9

The generic name for these plants was assigned back in the 16th century, in honor of Jean Nicot (1530–1600), who at that time served as the French ambassador to Portugal. This prominent politician brought tobacco seeds in 1560 to the territory of England and the French state of South America and began not only to successfully trade them, but also to promote them in every possible way. The name is close to the Russian language “tobacco”, according to one version it is associated with the island on which large quantities the plant grew on the island of Tabago. And already in the middle of the 18th century, the same term “Nicotiana” was used by the outstanding flora taxonomist Carl Linnaeus in his scientific works. As for the specific name “fragrant,” it is associated with the aroma that flowers emit when they bloom.

All representatives of the tobacco genus, like the fragrant species, are annuals, although perennial specimens are also occasionally found. They have a herbaceous or semi-shrub growth form. The height can vary from 20 to 90 cm. At the same time, on the surface of the foliage and stems there is an adhesive, glandular pubescence that protects the plant from the scorching sun. The stems grow erect and have branching. The foliage is arranged in regular order. The leaf plate can be solid or have a wavy-notched edge. The leaves are either completely devoid of petioles (sessile), or they are very short. In the basal part of the shoots, a basal rosette is formed from the leaves. The shape of the leaves at the bottom of the stem is round, but closer to the top the outline becomes narrower. The color of the foliage is rich, dark or light green.

During flowering, racemose or paniculate inflorescences are formed, collected from flowers with an elongated tubular corolla correct form. When fully opened, the flower reaches 8 cm in diameter. The buds begin to bloom with the arrival of evening, and a strong aroma hovers around the fragrant tobacco plantings all night long. The color of the petals directly depends on the variety; this includes snow-white, red, yellow, crimson or pink tones, however, only white color is natural. A curious thing is that the paler the color of the flower, the stronger its smell. The flowering period begins with the onset of summer and can be extended until the autumn cold.

After the flowers are pollinated, the fruits ripen in the form of a multi-seeded capsule with an ovoid outline. The seeds are small in size (there can be 6500–8500 pieces in 1 gram), their color is brown, and their germination rate is not lost for eight years.

Since difficulties arise only with watering, fragrant tobacco is generally considered an unpretentious plant. It is used when planting in groups with other garden crops. If the variety is tall, it will look great in the background of a flower bed. Varieties with low stems are used for landscaping borders and grown in garden containers. Plantings of Nicotiana suaveolens can be used to decorate rock gardens and rock gardens.

Planting fragrant tobacco and care rules in open ground

1. Selecting a landing site.Although the plant can easily adapt to different growing conditions, it is better to choose a flower bed in the sun or partial shade. You also need protection from direct midday rays in the summer heat and gusts of wind that can break the shoots. It is good if the shading is created by openwork foliage of trees or tall shrubs. Dense shade negatively affects both the growth of fragrant tobacco and its flowering. If we take into account its natural growth, then the brightly colored inflorescences will look fresh and colorful even in a flowerbed in a southern location, where direct sunlight will constantly fall.
2. PrimingWhen growing fragrant tobacco, you can use any, since in this regard the plant is quite picky. Soil with high nutritional values ​​can even lead to disastrous results when cared for. If the substrate on the site is too poor or depleted, it is recommended to autumn period(or 1–2 months before planting the bushes) add a small amount of humus or compost, and then dig up the soil. The soil mixture should easily allow air and water to pass to the roots, so when planting it is necessary to mix a dense substrate with sand or organize drainage.
3. Planting fragrant tobacco.It is best to plant seedlings in open ground when it has warmed up well and the danger of morning frosts has passed (mid-late May or early summer). The distance between the dug holes should be at least 20–30 cm. If the variety has tall stems, then this distance will need to be increased, since the plants will need a lot of space for shoots. This is due to the fact that at first the seedlings will begin to stretch upward, but then they will take a creeping form. When planting species with tall stems in a hole, you can install a support to which they will be tied over time. When a planting hole for a seedling is dug, a drainage layer of broken brick or expanded clay is first placed in it, and right before planting, a little superphosphate mixed with the extracted soil is added to the hole. After this, the plant is placed in it (without destroying the earthen clod by transferring it), then it is filled to the top with the remaining soil mixture, which is squeezed out a little. Planted bushes are watered abundantly.
4. Watering.The plant, despite its southern origin, is not drought-resistant. Soil moisture is the most important factor when caring for fragrant tobacco. Watering should be regular, frequent and plentiful. Drying of the substrate, and even more so for a long time, will have a detrimental effect on the bushes. But in principle, in this regard, one should focus on weather conditions and the rate at which the soil will dry out. During the heat and summer drought, watering is carried out daily. It is clear that flooded and waterlogged land will also be unfavorable for growth. It is best when moisturizing is done in the morning or evening hours, so that the sun does not dry out the soil so quickly and the roots are saturated with moisture.
5. Fertilizers for fragrant tobacco.To support these beautifully flowering bushes during the period of growth and flowering, it is necessary to carry out regular feeding. To ensure a long flowering time and a large number of buds, it is recommended to use fertilizers twice. flowering plants. The first time during the budding phase you need to use potassium and magnesium preparations (for example, Kalimag). The second application of fertilizing should be carried out when the first buds open - complete mineral complexes are used (for example, Kemira Universal or Nitrophoska). It is better to dilute the products in water for irrigation. You should not overuse nitrogen preparations, as foliage will grow and flowering will become scarce. If fragrant tobacco grows in very nutritious soil, then no fertilizer will be required.
6. General care tips.Since fragrant tobacco forms new buds and flowers bloom quite long time, then faded inflorescences do not in any way affect the growth of new ones, so they do not need to be removed. However, in order for the bush to look neat and large wilted flowers to be very clearly visible, they should be regularly removed from the branches of the plant. This summer plant is often planted in the foreground of flower beds, so you should take care that it does not look neglected. So that after watering or rain top layer the soil has not become a dense crust that does not allow air and moisture to pass through to the roots, loosening should be carried out and weeds should be removed along the way.
7. Fragrant tobacco after flowering.When autumn comes, if the most spectacular specimens have emerged, it is recommended to transplant them into pots. The plants are carefully removed from the soil and planted in containers the size of which will correspond to the root system of the bush. The soil mixture can be used mixed from garden soil, river sand and compost (peat). After planting, all stems are cut to 1/3 of their length. Pots should be placed in a room with good lighting and constant temperature readings (18–20 degrees). Watering is carried out when the top layer of soil begins to dry out. With the arrival of spring, when the soil warms up, you can plant fragrant tobacco bushes again in the flowerbed. However, it is important not to damage root system, which will braid an earthen lump during this time.

It is possible to obtain new bushes with fragrant flowers only by sowing seed material. And although fragrant tobacco has the property of abundant self-sowing, after our winters the seeds rarely produce strong young plants, and in this case flowering will be late.

The most effective way is to grow fragrant tobacco seedlings. Sowing time should fall at the end of February and beginning of March. Before sowing, the seed material is prepared - wrapped in damp gauze for several days. At the same time, it is important that the seeds not only swell, but also do not hatch. Sowing should be done in seedling boxes using light soil. As the latter, you can use peat-sand, combining equal parts of the components and adding garden soil. Due to their small size, the seeds are distributed over the surface of the substrate and are not deeply buried in the soil. You can sprinkle the same soil on top.

After sowing, the container is covered plastic film or glass is placed on top, which will help create the conditions of a mini-greenhouse. The temperature during germination should be maintained in the range of 18–20 degrees; a well-lit place for seedlings should be selected. Every day the shelter must be removed for ventilation. If it is noticed that the soil has begun to dry out on top, then it is sprayed with a spray bottle, since excessive watering has a detrimental effect on young plants.

As soon as it is noticed that fragrant tobacco shoots have appeared (after 10–14 days), it is recommended to lower the temperature to 16 degrees. The cover can be removed and seedlings can be grown. As soon as a pair of true leaves develop on the seedlings, picking is carried out - replanting into separate containers (pots with a diameter of no more than 7 cm and peat-sandy soil). In order to subsequently subject the root system to less stress, it is recommended to use cups made from peat. In this case, the seedlings are not removed, but the pots themselves are placed in the ground.

When mid-May arrives, you can transplant the seedlings to a prepared place in the flowerbed. If plastic cups were used, they can be cut lengthwise into several pieces so that the earthen ball does not collapse and planting can be carried out. After the seedlings adapt to a new location and become stronger, the tips of the shoots are pinched to stimulate branching.

Important! Before fragrant tobacco seedlings are transferred to open ground, it is necessary to begin hardening off the plants 14 days in advance. Containers with seedlings are exposed to the air for 10–15 minutes at first and this time is increased every day until Nicotiana suaveolens are outside around the clock.

Less effective is the method of sowing seeds directly into the soil. In this case, sowing should be carried out starting from the 20th of May, but in this case the fragrant tobacco bushes will develop more slowly and will bloom later.

Possible pests and diseases when caring for fragrant tobacco

Gardeners can be pleased with the fact that this plant has increased resistance to various diseases. And harmful insects cannot harm fragrant tobacco. This is due to the fact that this representative of the flora contains many phytoncides, which serve as a deterrent to pests. At the same time, Nicotiana suaveolens plantings protect not only themselves, but also other garden crops, so many gardeners alternate plantings of fragrant tobacco with other flowers.

However, there is information that sometimes fragrant tobacco bushes suffer from Colorado potato beetle, after all, it comes from the same family as tomatoes, potatoes and other nightshades. Therefore, you will have to spray by special means, for example, Karbofos.

Curious notes about fragrant tobacco

This variety appeared on the territory of European countries much later than the type of shag (Country tobacco - Nicotiana rustica) and other representatives of the genus, which were actively used for smoking. And only in the 80s of the 19th century, the flowerbeds of Europe began to delight with the flowering of fragrant tobacco plantings, which is also called winged tobacco (Nicotiana alata) or Athenian tobacco (Nicotiana affinis).

Types and varieties of fragrant tobacco, photos of flowers

Fragrant tobacco refers to some varieties of ornamental tobacco, which are also used for cultivation in gardens. Among them are:

Wild tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris)The height of the stems can range from 80 cm to 1.5 m. The shoots grow straight, and when flowering, snow-white drooping buds with a fragrant aroma open. The native habitat of natural growth is in Brazil. Due to the rather tall stems, this species is recommended for decorating the background of flower beds or in mixborders. To date, breeders have developed a series of varieties intended for growing in garden flowerpots, since their stems do not grow more than 20 cm in height.

Winged tobacco (Nicotiana alata) aka Athenian tobacco (Nicotiana affinis).A perennial with a herbaceous growth form, which middle lane Russia is used as an annual crop. The height of the shoots varies in the range of 50–100 cm. The leaf plates are medium-sized, their shape is elongated or lanceolate. All above-ground parts of the plant are covered with pubescence, which is composed of glandular hairs. When flowering, racemose inflorescences are formed, formed from flowers with a tubular corolla. The color of their petals is whitish, carmine or cream. There are specimens with snow-white petals decorated with red strokes. The length of the flower is 7.5 cm, with the bend reaching 5 cm. In the main species, the flowers begin to open at sunset. But after lengthy selection work, varieties have been developed whose flowers are pleasing to the eye even in the daytime. There are also varieties whose stems do not need staking, since they do not reach a height limit of more than 50 cm.

When cultivated, the specified species is represented by varieties and forms, varietiesGrandiflora tobacco (Nicotiana alata var. grandiflora), in which the corolla of the flower can have white or scarlet, dark or bright red, pink or mauve, violet shades. The height of the stems of some plants can be 1.5 m, but there is a varietal groupCana, characterized by low-growing shoots (only 40 cm).

The most popular varieties are:

• Evening Breeze (Evening Breeze)whose stems do not exceed 60 cm. The flowers are colored red-crimson.
• Red Devil -The bush is compact and does not grow higher than 40 cm. The flowers may not cover the buds in the daytime, the petals are dark red.
• Crimson Stone (Crimson Rock). The bush is characterized by a height of about 45–60 cm. The flowers have corollas of a crimson-red tone. Has the Fleuroselect award.
• White Bedder) the height of the stems will not exceed half a meter; during flowering, snow-white buds are formed; during the day you can admire the opened flowers.

Sander Tobacco (Nicotiana x sanderae)is a hybrid obtained through selection, bred at the beginning of the 20th century by crossing speciesTobaca Forgeta (Nicotiana forgetiana) And Winged tobacco (Nicotiana alata).The corolla size of the flowers is larger than that of the latter variety, but, alas, they have no aroma. The petals are a spectacular carmine red hue. Hybrids of this species, classified as the first, are united in a series with the nameTaxidoand are characterized by low-growing parameters, not exceeding a height of 20 cm. These plants are intended for growing not only in flower beds, but also in garden containers.

The most famous varietal forms are:

• Taxido Lime,having inflorescences of a yellow-lemon hue.
• Taxido Saman-Pinkcharacterized by flowers with salmon-pink petals, the variety is the most popular among gardeners.

Video about fragrant tobacco:

Photos of fragrant tobacco: