Tree Tobacco is a herbaceous perennial in the nightshade family and native to the central regions of South America. It is wild tobacco in the form of a spindly, many-branched shrub or small tree that, at maturity, will typically reach a height of 9 feet and an equal spread. However, specimens in the wild have been found to reach up to 22 feet high. It is distributed in warm temperate, arid and subtropical, dry and moist regions and is commonly found beside roadsides and along riverbanks. The genus name honors Jean Nicot, a sixteenth century French ambassador to Lisbon who introduced tobacco into France. The species name is from Greek for "bluish-gray" and refers to the color of its leaves. Tree Tobacco does best in well-drained, moist soil sited in full sun. It is frost tender, drought resistant, tolerant of a wide range of soil conditions, and often out competes native vegetation. It often forms mono-specific stands and is toxic to livestock. It is considered invasive in many parts of the world including California and has become naturalized in Mediterranean countries. It flowers from June onwards and can be quite ornamental, the yellow flowers contrasting with the blue-green foliage. However, it is not cold hardy and can be killed in hard winters. All plant parts are extremely poisonous. Diseases, Insect Pests, and Other Plant Problems: No known diseases or insect pests.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day) | Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Alkaline (>8.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)
Soil drainage
Good Drainage | Moist | Occasionally Dry
Growth rate
Rapid
Canopy layer
2 - Understory
Form & Appearance
Habit / form
Erect; Multi-stemmed
Texture
Fine
Foliage
Deciduous; Semi-evergreen
Leaf color
Gray/Silver; Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Alternate
Leaf shape
Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Fleshy; Rubbery; Waxy
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
No
Leaf detail
Leaves of blue-green up to 8 inches long and 3 inches wide are on stalks, alternate, smooth, succulent with a thick epicuticular waxy layer.
Flower color
Cream/Tan; Gold/Yellow; Green
Flower form
Panicle
Flower shape
Tubular
Flower size
1-3 inches
Flower detail
Small, 2 inch flowers are tubular, cream or yellow-green, 5-lobed at top. Terminal panicle bears numerous flowers. Plants typically require 14 hours of sunlight to induce flowering.
Bloom time
Spring; Summer
Fruit type
Capsule
Fruit size
< 1 inch long
Fruit detail
Egg-shaped, two-valved capsule, 0.5- 0.75 inches long and slightly longer than the persistent papery calyx. It produces a large number of tiny seeds, which can be dispersed by wind and water.
Stem detail
Slender stems, at first only semi-woody; perfectly glabrous.
Wildlife & Ecology
Native status
Unknown
Origin
Bolivia to Brazil
Distribution
Southern and Northern Africa, India, coastal South America, southern United States, and Mexico.
Wildlife value
pollinated by moths and butterflies
Attracts
Butterflies; Moths
Food & Medicine
Fruit type
Capsule
Edibility
All parts of the plant are poisonous
Uses (ethnobotany)
Used as a poison and medicinally by native cultures.
Landscape Use
Landscape location
Naturalized Area
Design feature
Flowering Tree; Small Tree
Garden tags
#poisonous #small tree #warm climates #shrub #problem for dogs #problem for horses #problem for cats #evergreen #attractive leaves #flowering shrub #flowering tree #invasive #ornamental shrub #small flowers #spreading
Problems & Resistance
Disease problems
Southern Bacterial Wilt on Herbaceous Ornamental Plants
Problems
Poisonous to Humans; Problem for Cats; Problem for Dogs; Problem for Horses; Weedy
Propagation
Seed
Poison severity
High
Poison parts
Flowers; Leaves
Poison symptoms
HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! Vomiting, diarrhea, slow pulse, dizziness, collapse, paralysis, depression, death, and respiratory failure can occur if eaten.