Annuals, best in pots
The fragrant, tall, clear white flowering tobaccos are the ones I want to grow. I loved them in my old garden, and want to put some where I can smell them at night. The short, colorful hybrid Nicotiana alata varieties in nurseries now have no smell. I want the tall old fashioned white ones.
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| N. alata blooming in July in Connecticut |
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| N. sylvestris, woodland tobacco |
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| In my CT garden |
Sources say full sun to part shade. Annie's Annuals says "bright shade" in hotter inland areas. They are heavy feeders and drinkers, and I think the only way to grow them is in pots that I can keep moist and in the shade.
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| After hail shredded them - May 23, 2021 |
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| June 27, 2021 -- Nicotiana alata began blooming in June and kept going all summer |
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| Flowering July 22, 2021 and foliage June 27 after hailstorms |
PETER SLEIGHTTHE HARTFORD COURANT
I have an experiment going this summer with one of my favorite plants, Nicotiana sylvestris.
This particular Nicotiana, from a group of plants sometimes called flowering tobacco, is quite different from the type most gardeners know. That one is Nicotiana alata, a 2-foot-tall bedding plant that comes in lots of different colors, from maroon to pink to light lime green.
N. sylvestris makes a much bolder statement in the garden. It starts from seed as fine as dust but over several weeks grows to 4 feet to 6 feet tall, with light-green leaves 20 inches long and a foot wide. The broad leaves are arranged in a whorl on a thick stalk, the top of which is punctuated by a panicle of drooping, pure white, trumpet-shaped flowers.
I've grown them on and off over the years, and they're always a nice punctuation point in the garden. This year, I have two growing in 12-inch pots standing sentinel at the foot of my front steps.
It's the first time I've tried them in pots, and having them close at hand has allowed me to keep careful watch over them.
The first thing I've learned is that N. sylvestris really likes pots. I have two others that I planted in the ground just to the side of the steps, partly because I thought they'd look good there, but mostly because I didn't have any other place to put them. That has allowed me to compare the growth patterns of the potted ones with the ones planted in soil.
The two in pots are, at this point, way ahead of their earthbound cousins. The plant in the pot I planted first is a full 5 feet tall, with huge 20-inch-long leaves. It also has lots of side-shoots that promise to push out their own smaller panicles later in the season.
The two soil-bound plants -- planted at the same time as the first pot -- are still less than a foot tall and are just now starting to show the elongation that will lead to the flower stalk. They're looking thrifty and happy, but just don't have the steroidal muscles of their potted compatriot.
I planted a seedling in a second pot about three weeks after the first, and that one, too, is ahead of the soil-planted specimens and well on its way to equaling its partner.
I've reached a few conclusions from this little test trial. First, if I plant Nicotiana sylvestris again, I'll be sure to grow some in pots. I'm guessing they like being out of the ground because they originate in warm climates and the pots allow the roots to be quickly warmed by the sun. (N. sylvestris is an annual in the Northeast and crumples at the first frost.)
Second, they seem to be heavy feeders, at least if they're going to reach their largest size. I think I was a little generous with the Osmocote fertilizer when I planted the pots, and the little Nicotiana obviously loved that brand's slow-release formula. I didn't dose the soil-planted ones when I first set them out, but once I saw the results in the pot, went back and mixed some Osmocote into the top layer of soil. The effect, however, wasn't as good as placing the fertilizer right at the roots.
Another thing I learned is that N. sylvestris is not only a heavy feeder but also a heavy drinker. It makes sense, of course, because a lot of water is needed to support those huge leaves.
I have to keep a close eye on the pots, because the leaves will wilt the instant the soil completely dries out, and the concrete steps hasten evaporation. At the same time, though, the soil has to be well-drained; leaving the plants standing in water will ensure a rapid demise.
Despite the need for careful moisture-monitoring, N. sylvestris is a great plant to have by the stairs, even if visitors have to turn sideways to reach the front door. The broad leaves offer a dramatic gesture, and the nodding white flowers are at the perfect height for sniffing without bending.
There's a small drawback in the flower department, however. Like most flowering tobaccos, N. sylvestris flowers remain tightly closed in full sun or even bright light. They hang there during the day, awkward and unremarkable -- you might even think they're spent and ready to pinch off.
But once twilight arrives, the long tubes unfold their five-pointed petals, and as the pure white glows in the failing light, a delicate, sweet scent rises in the air and drifts into open windows nearby.
The leaves, themselves, are intriguingly tactile. They're very thin yet supple -- almost elastic. But they're surprisingly tough as long as they're properly hydrated. They have a coarse texture like brushed cotton, but are also covered with sticky goo. You'll often see tiny gnats decorating the leaves like flypaper.
I can also say from experience that if you don't cut off spent flowers, the plant will reseed itself all over the garden. That's not as big a problem as it might sound, though.
The small plants are easily recognized and pulled. They're also pretty sturdy, so if you want to move them to another place in the garden, you can simply pry one up, leaving some soil clinging to the roots, and put it where it will be welcome.