Flowering tobacco/Woodland tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) - seeds - 2026 harvest

Are you dreaming of an absolute garden highlight that captivates with immense vigor and transforms your summer evenings into a fragrant paradise? Make room for the secret star of the perennial border: the majestic flowering tobacco (botanically Nicotiana sylvestris, often also called woodland tobacco).

It is the ideal choice if you want to quickly add structure and elegant height to your garden and have a heart for an intense, sensual nature experience.

Scope of delivery: 50 or 200 seeds each.

Step-by-step instructions

Fill shallow seed trays with fine seed starting soil. Since the seeds of my woodland tobacco are extremely fine, I use a little trick when sowing: I mix the seeds beforehand with a pinch of fine sand so that they can be distributed more evenly over the soil. Sprinkle the seeds onto the soil and press them down only very lightly. Under no circumstances should you cover them with soil, as woodland tobacco strictly requires light to germinate! I find it best to moisten the soil afterwards only with a fine spray bottle so that the tiny seeds are not washed away. Cover the sowing container with a transparent hood or glass plate to keep the humidity constantly high. I choose a bright spot without direct midday sun at 18 to 22 °C. A brief daily airing prevents mold. As soon as the small seedlings show their first true pair of leaves alongside the cotyledons, I carefully prick them out into individual small pots. After the Ice Saints, the vigorous young plants can go outside. I plant them in their final spot with a planting distance of 50 to 60 cm.

A vertical climber for the flowerbed

The flowering tobacco is a real high-flyer. In just one season, the perennial shoots up rapidly and forms broad foliage that immediately adds fullness to any location. Usually, this imposing presence reaches an impressive height of 1.5 meters. Under good conditions, however, there are hardly any limits – my own specimen even nudged the impressive 2-meter mark last summer!

Argentine mountain world and an irresistible perfume

Don't be fooled by the names "woodland" or "mountain" tobacco – it does not come from local forests! Originally, this elegant giant is at home in the vast, sometimes rugged mountain regions and canyons of the Argentine Andes. There, the vigorous perennial grows majestically into the heights at the edges of light forests and in moist, cool mountain woods. This fascinating wild species traveled to Europe as a botanical treasure as early as the end of the 19th century and took local gardens by storm.

Its true magic reveals itself to us as soon as the sun gets lower: countless long, white trumpet-shaped flowers unfold from the lush green, hanging from the shoots like little shooting stars. On warm summer days, the plant lives up to its name and envelops the surroundings in an intensely sweet fragrance that carries a long way.

A magnet for night owls and easy propagation

This evening fragrance spectacle not only delights our senses, but is also ecologically enormously valuable: the flowering tobacco attracts numerous moths and breathes life into the evening garden.

In addition, the plant is very happy to provide for its own offspring. If you leave the flower heads on, it will reseed itself quite easily. You can just as easily harvest the seeds in the autumn to specifically pre-cultivate your own young plants the following year.

More than just ornamental: A smokable experience

Since flowering tobacco is a genuine Nicotiana species, the impressive leaves are actually smokable after drying. Those who want to try their hand at tobacco production will find this an interesting plant: in terms of taste, it is significantly milder and not as strong as conventional Virginia or peasant tobacco.

Important note: Please note that this natural plant also contains nicotine. Smoking is highly harmful to health and addictive. Any consumption is therefore always at your own risk! If you decide to quit smoking, you can find professional, anonymous, and free support from the Federal Centre for Health Education (BZgA) – online at rauchfrei-info.de or via their telephone consultation at 0800 8 31 31 31.

Care & Overwintering: Surprisingly undemanding

• The perfect location: Treat this South American beauty to a somewhat calcareous substrate – it loves that! Otherwise, it grows tirelessly in a bright location.

• Relaxed through the winter: Often, flowering tobacco is kept as an annual, but it can be excellently overwintered in a cool place! Young plants in pots in particular master the cold season quite easily at around 5 to 10 °C. A bright location is optimal, but surprisingly, the plant also copes with relatively dark corners.

• Fascinating winter growth: Don't be alarmed if the plant continues to grow in its shady winter quarters and looks surprisingly colorless. That is completely normal! As soon as the first light hits the leaves in the spring, this deficiency is quickly compensated for and the flowering tobacco rapidly shines in its accustomed green again.

Let yourself be enchanted by this historic fragrant beauty and make your summer evenings an unforgettable experience!