Fragrant tobacco: description, types and varieties, planting and care features

Fragrant tobacco is popular with gardeners. Summer residents love the plant for its beautiful bright flowers and unusual aroma. The homeland of scented tobacco is South America. The bushes were brought to the European part by Christopher Columbus. Let us consider in more detail the description, types and varieties, features of planting and care of scented tobacco.

The Latin name Nicotiana sanderae means Mrs. Sander's tobacco. The plant belongs to the Solanaceae family. People call it garden or fragrant tobacco. It has such features as:

• the height of the bush reaches 0.2–0.9 m, one shoot can have 10 branches;
• erect shoots, large sheets;
• the flowers are star-shaped, the diameter is no more than 5 cm;
• on the surface of the plant, if you look closely, you can see glandular hairs;
• the color of the buds is bright red, pale white, light crimson, pink or yellow;
• if the inflorescences have a pale color, then a strong smell;
• noteworthy - the flowers bloom after sunset;
• the fruit of the tobacco bush is the seed pods that crack after ripening;
• tobacco begins to bloom in early June and throughout the summer.

Fragrant tobacco is loved by gardeners because of the variety of varieties and species. Everyone will be able to choose a suitable bush for their site and decorate a garden or a gazebo near the house. Consider several popular plant species.

• Forest tobacco is a tall plant. It is chosen for planting in a flowerbed in the background. The stem height reaches 80–1.5 m. The aroma is pronounced, and the leaves look drooping. The homeland of forest tobacco is Brazil. A subspecies with a height of 25 cm was recently bred.

• Langsdorf Tobacco - This is an annual species, which is 120 cm high, and the flowers resemble green bells. The homeland of the plant is Brazil and Chile. In South America, the height of the bush is no more than 85 cm. It is also called "Cream Splash".

• Winged tobacco is an annual flower 75 cm high. The leaves of the bush are elongated with a hairy surface. The flowers are creamy, carmine or white. The length of the inflorescences is 7.5 cm, they can bend to the sides.

• Tobacco Sander. This species was derived from the winged and Forgeta cultivar. The smell is not as bright as that of other bushes. The flowers are carmine red or white.

It is worth dwelling in more detail on the main varieties.

Bushes no more than 30 cm high. They are suitable for cultivation in the house or in the winter garden. This class includes the following:

• "Domino Samen-Pink" - the curtains are small up to 30 cm, and the inflorescences are pink;
• "Roll and Perfume" - the height of the bush is no more than 25 cm, and the buds are pleasing with a variety of colors;
• Saratoga Red - dwarf type of plant, grows no more than 30 cm, leaves are wide and bright green, and flowers are large funnel-shaped, opens at night or in cloudy weather;
• "Nicky" - the height of the bush reaches 30 cm, and the inflorescences can be white or dark crimson;
• Rosa gnom - grows up to 25 cm, flowers are bright red;
• "Taxido lime" - lemon-yellow color, tobacco height is only 20 cm, often used to decorate a balcony;
• "Avalon" - the variety is known for its different colors, perfect for growing at home.

These varieties can be planted both in the home and in the garden. These include the following:

• Lime Green - got its name because of the bright green hue, as on the citrus of the same name, height is 70 cm;
• Samel-Pink - a shade of pink or salmon;
• Red Davil - suitable for growing in the house, the height is 40 cm, the color of the inflorescences is dark red, the buds do not close during the day;
• Evening Breeze - the bush has red flowers, and the stem reaches a height of 60 cm;
• "Krimzok Rock" - the variety has received an award in the field of horticulture - Flowerselect, a shade of raspberry red, and its height is 60 cm;
• "Green light" - leaves are lush, bright light green color;
• "Italian F1" - the buds of the plant are large, light white, pale green and red;
• "Purple Haze" - inflorescences open in the evening, the color is pale purple;
• "Night bonfire" - the buds are large, bright red.

Tall varieties are suitable for cultivation only in the garden. Some of them are several meters high. These include the following:

• "White Bedder" - in the daytime the buds do not close, the plant height reaches up to 1.5 m;
• Sensatsiya - the height of the bush is 60–95 cm, the variety has a pronounced odor;
• "Aroma green" - the height of the tobacco reaches 90–150 cm, the inflorescences are bell-shaped;
• "Pleasure" - the bush is resistant to disease, the entire summer season will bloom;
• "Dolce Vita F1" - known for different shades during flowering, bells remain open during the day;
• "Mazhu Noir" - tobacco has an unusual smell, and the color is white;
• "Hypnosis" - pleasant aroma of the bush, and the inflorescences are lilac, less often green;
• "Evening" - the smell is bright, flowers bloom in cloudy weather or in the evening;
• "Record" - the variety has a variety of buds.

All types and varieties of garden tobacco are thermophilic. They grow well in areas with warm and humid climates. The plant is grown using seedlings. Let's take a closer look at the landing features.

Seeds are planted in late February or early March. Seedlings are planted in the ground on May 15-30. But you need to check the soil, because it must be warm. Before sowing seeds in seedling boxes, you need to choose the right ones. You don't need to buy a product at a low price. It is best to go to a garden store and pick up seeds at an average cost and from a reliable manufacturer.

For breeding seedlings, plastic or wooden boxes are bought in the store, you can use peat pots or simple plastic cups. It is imperative to make drainage holes. The soil for planting should be fertile, loose and light. Often just a soil for flower seedlings is used. But it's better to make the soil yourself. To prepare it, you will need the following ingredients:

• river sand - 1 part;
• humus or mineral fertilizers - 3 parts;
• black soil earth - 3 parts;
• peat - 3 parts.

The soil requirements for planting a plant on open ground are slightly different, namely:

• the planting site should be located on a slope so that the water does not stagnate during irrigation or after rain;
• you need to provide protection from the cold north wind;
• the soil is previously "fed" with humus or mineral fertilizers;
• it is recommended to add river sand.

Like any other plant, garden tobacco needs to be given attention both after sowing in pots and after planting in open ground. There is nothing difficult in growing and caring for, you just need to periodically loosen, water and fertilize the soil, protect the bushes from pests and diseases.

Fragrant tobacco is moisture-loving, so it needs to be watered often and abundantly. Particular attention should be paid to the soil in the summer.The soil dries out quickly, cracks may appear. It is necessary to constantly monitor that the soil is moist. Watering is best in the evening and early in the morning.

Fertilizers are applied twice during the summer season. The first stage is when the first buds appear on the bushes, and the second - when flowering. If the soil is fertile, then feeding is not done. But the depleted soil must be fertilized with a mineral complex. If you neglect top dressing, then the leaves will grow rapidly, and the plant will bloom badly.

Fragrant tobacco does not need bright lighting. The bushes will grow well and bloom in a shaded area of ​​the garden near the trees. Since the plant is unpretentious, landscape designers love to use it when creating an exterior. You should not plant tobacco in a dense dark area. It will not grow well and is unlikely to bloom. If the planting is done in flowerpots, then they need to be moved as they grow, then a beautiful and even bush will form.

Dried flowers will not interfere with the emergence of new buds, but scented tobacco will look untidy and ugly. Flowering continues all summer, so many wilted inflorescences remain. Therefore, it is better to cut them off, then the bush will delight the gardener and guests with its beautiful appearance.

The plant propagates by seed. Since the annual blooms all summer, self-seeding will be abundant. But due to the harsh weather conditions, scented tobacco rises late. Therefore, gardeners prefer to propagate flowers at home using seedlings. Features of sowing seeds for reproduction are as follows:

1. a suitable container is taken, drainage holes are made;
2. soil is poured inside, mixed with humus, peat and river sand;
3. at the beginning of March, the seeds are laid out on a wet napkin so that they swell; this process will take 4–6 days;
4. after swelling, the sprouts are planted in pots or boxes, but they do not need to be deeply buried in the ground; watering should be moderate;
5. the container is covered with a transparent film, placed in the room so that the temperature is + 20 ° C;
6. the first shoots appear after 14 days; the film is removed, and the container is placed on a window with sunlight;
7. sprouts need to be watered carefully, periodically loosen the soil so that air can flow;
8. leaves should appear on the bushes, after the plants are transplanted into separate pots; this is done carefully so as not to damage the roots.

The leaves of the plant contain many phytoncides. The bushes are resistant to many pests and diseases. It will also protect other nearby plants. But aromatic tobacco is often affected by powdery mildew... The first signs of appearance are yellow bloom. The leaves begin to dry out and curl up. To protect the bushes from disease, it is necessary to cut off any damaged leaves. The ground is sprayed with formalin - 7.5%. For 1 m² you need 30 liters. Instruments are also treated with a solution before use. Neighboring plants are sprayed with "Tsineboy" 80%.

There are a number of insects that can harm the plant.

• Spider mite. The leaves begin to turn yellow, cracks appear on the surface. Plants on the street are sprayed with Fitover solution, home flowers are irradiated with an ultraviolet lamp.
• Aphid. Sticky droplets appear on the plant, the lower leaves wither, deform or curl. The insects themselves can be found on buds and flowers. Bushes need to be processed with Aktellik or Decis. You can also use folk methods: a decoction of rhubarb (leaves), nettle, tansy.
• Snails. Through holes, mucus appear on the leaves. Immediately you need to spray fragrant tobacco with a solution of copper or "Thunderstorm".You can try to collect the pests by hand. There is a good folk remedy for the fight - the leaves are sprinkled with baking soda, which is mixed with wood ash, tobacco dust is also suitable.

Designers often use scented tobacco when creating an exterior on a suburban area. The smell of the plant will attract bees, which is important for other horticultural crops that are pollinated by these insects. There are many ways to decorate your garden with scented tobacco.

• You can plant plants in pots and decorate the veranda, gazebo with them.

• If tall varieties are chosen for planting in a flower bed, then you need to plant bushes in the background.

• If there is a reservoir on the site, then with the help of medium-sized ornamental plant varieties, you can decorate the banks.

• There is another interesting method - scented tobacco is planted in flowerpots, only you need to select species with inflorescences of different colors. The pots are placed near the entrance to the house.

• You can decorate the recreation area with bushes of scented tobacco or give a finished look to the flower bed.

• Flowers look beautiful on the balcony.

Fragrant tobacco is an annual plant that can be planted both in the garden and at home. It attracts attention with a variety of shades and a pleasant, pronounced smell. Designers love to use bushes to create interesting garden compositions.

For information on how to sow scented tobacco, see the next video.