Get 10% Off Hummingbird plants with code HUMMINGBIRDS10
Skip to the content
SELECT SEEDS
Tobacco 'Langsdorff's Tobacco'
Tobacco 'Langsdorff's Tobacco'
Seed Packet

Tobacco 'Langsdorff's Tobacco'

Nicotiana langsdorffii
Hummingbirds love the floral wind chimes of this Nicotiana; their beaks are a perfect match with the dangling vibrant green blooms. Introduced from Brazil in 1819, N. langsdorffii grows from a tiny seed quickly once it gets going; its relatively narrow leaves and sturdy upright stems support the cascades of bloom that soon follow. Lovely with perennial grasses or against a dark-leaved perennial or shrub.
SKU #S1473
Caution: Poisonous. The purchaser assumes all liability related to the use of this product.
$3.25
Details
Approximate Seeds Per Packet
1000
Lifecycle
Annual
Annual Hardiness
Half Hardy Annual
Mature Size
2-3' h x 1-1.5' w
Sun
Full sun to partial shade
Soil
Rich, moist, well-drained
Season
Summer to fall
Color
Bright lime green
Features
Great for containers
Great Cut Flower
Deer Resistant
Attracts Butterflies
Attracts Bees
Attracts Hummingbirds
Notable
RHS Award of Garden Merit Winner
SOWING INSTRUCTIONS
Depth:
Surface sow; requires light to germinate.
Sprout Time:
10-21 days
Seed To Bloom:
10-12 weeks
Starting Indoors:
Start indoors 6-8 weeks before last frost. Keep at 60-75°F. Sprinkle with vermiculite or cover with humidity dome to keep moist.
Starting Outdoors:
Direct sow after last frost.
WHEN TO SET OUTSIDE
After last frost.
PLACEMENT & CULTIVATION
Langsdorff's tobacco has nodding, bell-shaped flowers in vivid lime-green blooming on tall, graceful stems all summer long. Grow with tall ageratum as a backdrop in borders and large containers. For the best garden show, grow in groups. Flowering tobaccos grow best in moderate summer areas in humus-rich soils well supplied with even water. In scorching hot climates, afternoon shade is beneficial. Regular fertilizer and deadheading will ensure free flowering all season and an abundance of hummingbirds and hawk moths hovering and dipping their beaks into the small trumpets. Self-sows. Caution: all parts of Nicotiana are poisonous.
Final Spacing:
1-1.5'
Water Requirements:
Medium Water Use
Watering Details:
Regular, even watering; 1" per week.
Soil pH:
Prefers slightly acidic soil but is tolerant of a wide range of pH levels.
Fertilizer:
Mix in about 2" of compost prior to planting, and use several applications of organic fertilizer during the season.
Diseases & Pests:
Nicotiana can be susceptible to aphids; water sprays or insecticidal soap can safely remedy the issue. Tobacco budworms eat holes in the buds and devour seeds later in the summer. Try to hand pick them at dusk when they come out to feed. In autumn, tilling in annual beds can help destroy pupae and decrease populations the following year. Tobacco hornworm, the caterpillar stage of a hawk moth, also feeds on Nicotiana and can be controlled by handpicking. Look for the black droppings, as the green caterpillars are hard to spot, and remove immediately, as they can ravage the foliage. White eggs attached to them indicate that a predator insect has parasitized them, and the caterpillars should be left alone.
When to Cut for Bouquets:
Harvest when flowers are mostly open.
Access here