About Nicotiana sylvestris Speg.
Nicotiana sylvestris Speg. is a tall plant that grows 1.5 m (4.9 ft) high and reaches 0.5 m (1.6 ft) wide. Its leaves are simple, somewhat sticky, and feature clasping petioles, where the leaf blade partially wraps around the stem. Flowers grow on many-branched stems: they are tubular, white, and arranged in racemes that sit above the plant's foliage. Individual flowers can measure over 7 cm in length, with an opening 2 cm wide. They give off an intense scent that is strongest at night, which attracts pollinating moths. After flowering, each bloom produces a large quantity of small seeds. This species is thought to be one of the parent species of Nicotiana tabacum, the plant used for modern commercial tobacco production. If consumed, all parts of N. sylvestris can cause discomfort or irritation. Nicotiana sylvestris is grown as an ornamental plant. It is often cultivated in gardens for its structured architectural form and strongly fragrant flowers. While it is a short-lived perennial, it is usually grown as a half-hardy annual in colder climate zones. In these regions, seed is sown under heated glass in early spring, and seedlings are planted outdoors after the last frost passes. In Great Britain, N. sylvestris only successfully overwinters in sheltered coastal locations or parts of London, where temperatures never drop below −5 °C (23 °F). This plant has been awarded the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.
