Nicotiana alata is also known as Winged Tobacco or Jasmine Tobacco. This South American plant, is actually a perennial, but it is treated as a half-hardy annual in northern Europe. In milder regions, the plants and roots may survive the winter successfully, and the following year’s growth should produce flowers from early July.

While the parent species provide the plants with the best fragrance, their big disadvantage is that the flowers do not open until the evening, but the white flowers of a single plant, growing to the rear of the border, can produce enough exquisite scent to fill the whole garden. Named varieties lack the full scent of Nicotiana alata, but Nicotiana alata ‘Dwarf White Bedder’ is perhaps the nearest of all to the species, with plants producing fragrant white blooms, which open both during the day and evening.

Winged tobacco has broad, spoon-shaped leaves and stems of funnel-shaped, white flowers. The named varieties come in many colours including red, purple and lime green. Plants prefer a sunny or partially shaded position. Plant out as soon as risk of frost has passed; this is not usually before the end of May. Pinch out the growing tips of seedlings to keep them bushy. Once the flowers have died, remove the dead heads.

Growing Requirements

Soil
Nicotiana alata will not thrive in dry conditions and likes a well-drained soil. Newly planted plants will need to be watered for the first month, if necessary. Before planting, well-rotted organic matter should be incorporated into the soil.

Size
A somewhat spindly plant that typically grows 3ft to 5ft (90cm to 1.5m) tall. The cultivars are usually shorter at around 2ft (60cm). Larger plants can spread up to 2ft (30cm).

Propagation
Nicotiana alata can be propagated by root cuttings, although the easiest way is to produce new plants by seed. Sow nicotiana seed at 21 to 24° C., under glass, from February to April.

Family: Solanaceae
Genus: Nicotiana

Tags: annuals, garden plant, jasmine tobacco, nicotiana, nicotiana alata, ornamental garden plant, winged tobacco

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 17th, 2009 at 20:03 and is filed under Annuals and Biennials. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.