Saturday, November 12, 2011

Nicotiana sylvestris, night scented tobacco




Towering into the evening sky, the night scented tobacco is certainly a statement maker in the garden with its large lime coloured leaves and elegant drooping white flowers. I grew this from seed planted months ago . The seed incidentally is like dust so you end up with a pot of crowded tiny plants which are difficult to separate into individuals for potting on. The seedlings also sulk in a pot with leaves turning yellow and looking very unhealthy indeed. Once planted in the garden, growth is fairly rapid with the lower leaves forming a rosette over the ground while upper leaves clasp the developing flower stem. What I love about about the leaves however is their ability to trap and kill insects. The leaves are very hairy and sticky and laden with nicotine so passing bugs don't stand a chance. Is this the perfect plant to grow in a vegetable garden? I think so.

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