Nicotiana tabacum - Tobacco - Seeds

Description

• Solanaceae Solanales
• Central America, Caribbean
• H 2.5m x W 1m
•  Z7 
• Short-lived Perennial
• Synonym: -
• 1 Packet of ≈100 seeds
  (stabilized variety, cross between Cuban Havana and Connecticut Broadleaf)

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Details

Nicotiana tabacum is a large herbaceous plant belonging to a genus of around 70 species, some of which are traditionally smoked

It is mentioned for the first time during the expeditions of Christopher Columbus, then introduced to Europe during the 16^th century and grown for its medicinal virtues

Short-lived Perennial in tropical and subtropical regions, it is cultivated on an annual cycle in temperate climates

Tobacco is renowned for its foliage and flowering among gardeners who use it as an ornamental plant, with other species of the Genus Nicotiana
(Nicotiana affinis, Nicotiana alata, Nicotiana rustica, Nicotiana sylvestris)

However, it is best known for the production of Tobacco for Smoking (cigars, cigarettes, pipe tobacco), Chewing, or Snuff

Traditionally in France, most family gardens always had a few tobacco plants before the French State imposed a lucrative monopoly around the tobacco industry by the end of the 19^th century

Tobacco grows in an unbranched spindle, or with little branching from the base, developing a tall, strong stem, which lignifies at the base by the end of the season

The stem is anchored to the ground with a branched fleshy taproot or a network of large fleshy roots

The leaf is entire, alternate, tender green, thin and flexible, with a winged petiole

It is long (60cm) and wide (30cm) in the lower part of the plant, and gets smaller, tapered and thick towards the upper part of the plant, this difference in size between bottom and top contributing to the spindle shape of adult tobacco plants

The campanulate and fragrant flower of Nicotiana tabacum evokes the flower of Petunia, and measures 2-3cm wide by 7-8cm long

It has 5 petals arranged in a star shape, joined together to create a tube

Color is usually pink with a white throat, but it can also be white or greenish-yellow depending on the variety

It attracts many insects - mainly Hummingbirds and Butterflies do the pollination

The flowers are borne at the top of the stem, grouped by several dozen in an erect and branched inflorescence

The fruit is a non-dehiscent capsule that contains hundreds of tiny seeds

The whole plant is covered with fine hair and a sticky resin

The Toxic Principle of Tobacco is an Alkaloid, Nicotine

Nicotine is a violent poison which, in small doses, will cause palpitations, sweating, nausea, muscle weakness, dizziness, and vomiting

At high doses and starting from 30mg per kilo of body weight, Nicotine may cause death (0.5mg.kg^-1 <lethal dose< 1mg.kg^-1)

However, at very low doses, Nicotine produces a relaxing effect and stimulates the dopaminergic neurons of the reward system, inducing a phenomenon of dependence

Associated with the sugars and pleasant aromas of tobacco (including tabanone), it helps to produce real well-being in limited consumption habits

Nicotina tabacum has many medicinal properties:

• Antibacterial
• Antifungal
• Anthelmintic
• Antispasmodic
• Diuretic
• Emetic
• Expectorant
• Narcotic
• Painkiller
• Sedative
• Sialagogue
• Slimming

It is also used in the garden as a powerful natural insecticide, sprayed as a water extract
(dry leaves macerated without heat and without fermentation)

Finally, it can be used as a natural dye for beautiful colors Sand, Tobacco, and Chamois, although we have no perspective on color fastness

There are many Tobacco Cultivars, all resulting from the hybridization of 6 primitive varieties

• Nicotiana tabacum var. brasiliensis
  (asymmetrical oblong leaf, white flower with pink edge and oval lobes)
• Nicotiana tabacum var. fruticosa
  (oval leaf with high levels of nicotine, white flower with red edge and triangular lobes)
• Nicotiana tabacum var. havanensis
  (eliptical leaf, small flower, intense aroma)
• Nicotiana tabacum var. lancifolia
  (narrow leaf with fairly high nicotine content, white flower with red edge and triangular lobes)
• Nicotiana tabacum var. macrophylla
  (very large oblong leaf, low nicotine content, pink flower)
• Nicotiana tabacum var. virginica
  (oval, acute leaf, flower with wide lobes)

Nicotiana rustica, a species whith a smaller rounded leaf highly concentrated in nicotine and greenish-yellow flower, is also part of the ancestral stock in some oriental hybrids, notably cultivated in Ukraine and Turkey for stronger tobaccos

The cultivars used in France are mainly based on [ brasiliensis x havanensis ] or [ brasiliensis x havanensis x macrophylla ]

The Variety offered here is a cross between the cultivars Cuban Havana (havanensis) and Connecticut Broadleaf (brasiliensis x havanensis x macrophylla)

It gives tall plants (2m) with pink flowers, broad leaves with excellent aromas, and can also be grown as an ornamental plant in the garden

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Cultivation

Sowing

Sow Nicotiana tabacum during April in a heated nursery, in a box, by sprinkling the seeds loosely on the surface of a seed compost
(very small seeds which should not be buried)

Keep the soil constantly moist and water by capillary action or misting - only - so as not to risk burying the seeds or disturbing the seedlings

Place in the sun and keep temperature above 22°C

Under these conditions, Tobacco seeds will germinate very easily and quite quickly, in 10-15 days

Grow your plants until they can be transplanted, one plant per pot, keeping only the most vigorous and developed plants

After transplanting, cultivate for a while longer to strengthen the plant, until they've established a good root network in the pot

Planting

Plant in open ground in May, after the last frosts, in draining, deep, well-tilled, clean soil, richly amended with manure compost, spacing the plants at least 60cm apart

Ideal for furnishing the back of flowerbeds, taking into account the size of the adult plant so as not to smother neighboring plants

Full sun exposure, sheltered from strong winds if you are in a windy region

Weed and water regularly

Tobacco growth is very rapid from July onwards and the plants often produce lush vegetation when managed well

However, Tobacco is a greedy plant whose growth will be reduced on deficient soil and if poorly watered
(smaller, chlorotic and sickly plants)

Pests & Tobacco Diseases

Nicotiana tabacum is the target of many pests and diseases that can attack (weaken, damage, destroy)

• The Seedlings
• Pests
  (molluscs, aphids, sciarids)
• Fungal Diseases
  (Olpidium brassicae, Pythium spp)
• The Young Plant
• Moth Caterpillar
  (Agrotis ipsilon, Agrotis segetum, Helicoverpa armigera)
• Adult Foliage
  • Fungal Diseases
    (Alternaria alternata, Candidatus phytoplasma solani, Peronospora hyoscyami, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum)
  • Bacterial Diseases
    (Erwinia spp, Pectobacterium spp)
• Pests
  (Whiteflies, Flea Beetles, Epitrix, Defoliating Moths, Bedbugs, Wireworms)
• The Root System
• Broomrapes
  (Phelipanche ramosa)
• The Sap
• Viruses
  (AMV, CMV, TMV, PVY)

Depending on the severity and extent of the attack, intervention may be necessary

Usually, the adult plant defends itself against insects thanks to nicotine (natural insecticide)

In general, it is especially important to protect the seedlings and young plants, systematically destroy broomrapes, and systematically destroy and burn virus-infected plants

WARNING
A Virus-infected Plant should never be kept - this is a general principle that does not apply to Tobacco only
Destroy SYSTEMATICALLY any plant infected with virus or suspected of being infected, by pulling it out and burning it - DO NOT THROW TO THE COMPOST PILE
Keeping virus-infected plants is a risk of irremediably contaminating a crop on one site, contaminating other crops on this site, and contaminating other sites
There is no way to cure a plant infected by a virus

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Harvest

The whole plant contains Nicotine, very concentrated in the leaves and the sticky resinous secretion on the surface of the stems, leaves, and inflorescences

Nicotine passes through the skin into the bloodstream, which, in the absence of protection, is known to intoxicate workers during harvest

Consequently, handling tobacco during harvest requires precautions, in particular wearing gloves so as not to touch the plant directly

Nicotine concentration varies

• in the plant
  (more concentrated in the upper parts of the plant)
• during the season
  (no nicotine in seedlings, peak in August)
• during the day
  (peak at the end of the day)
• with sunshine
  (more concentrated on days of strong sunshine)

Harvest for Insecticide Use

Harvest the upper parts of the plant, taken in August at the end of the day, on sunny days

Dry thoroughly in the shade, and store well in a Jar in a cool place for later use

Harvest for Recreational Consumption

Only harvest the lower leaves, ideally just before they turn yellow

Prick the petiole on a wire and dry the leaves in a hanging garland, in the shade, shaking them regularly so that they do not stick together, until they take on their pretty tobacco color

Subsequently, there is a whole series of fermentation and preparation steps to develop the aroma and reduce the nicotine level, steps necessary before consuming

An excellent Monograph gives many details on the tobacco maturation processes:
Bouant, É. (1928). Le Tabac. Culture et Industrie. Paris. J.-B. Baillière et Fils. 328 pages

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Good to Know

In our temperate climates, Nicotiana tabacum dies in winter

However, if you protect its stump from frost and rot, you will have the pleasure of seeing your Tobacco grow back a few more springs

The plant will be all the more vigorous because it is already an established adult