Hi! When I lived in Los Angeles a friend gave me a small seedling she found in the back yard of her old house. It grew to be what I think was a Nicotiana alata. It was about 3' tall, with fuzzy, sticky stems, big ole tobacco leaves, and the usual white, night-blooming alata flowers. The difference was the scent... On hot summer nights the combined scent of gardenia and jasmine was Very strong even yards away. Stems brought into a large aikido studio in an industrial building scented the whole room. Of course, at dawn the fragrance would get a little funky, like a petunia on a bad day, and the wilted-looking flowers looked like old wet kleenex during the day and afternoon, but who cares? It was incredible!
So, here's my problem. The N. alatas I've grown from Selected Seeds, Shepard's, and a Pennsylvania friend's garden have been very nice, but they don't have a scent that is as powerful as I remember nor does the scent have the non-funky gardenia/jasmine combo fragrance I remember. My Los Angeles friend has moved, so that source is gone.
Do any fo you have a source for N. alata [or some look-alike] that answers the description I have given? Or maybe I'm nuts? Any insights to either of these issues would be sincerely appreciated. Thanks.
Yours,
Brian
A Wonderful Nicotiana
From reading the comments in PF on N. alata, it sounds like it's scent can be rather variable, and older varieties tend to have better/stronger scent, so heirloom seed places might be your best bet. Or is there a possibility that it could be another species? N. sylvestris has flowers that look somewhat similar. I've never grown either so can't compare the scents though.
If you find seeds , please post where . I'll check Annies . Back in a flash - the name I will check on is Nicotiana alata .
Nope - they don't carry it in plant or seeds .
I am happy to hear about your experience with Selected Seeds because I grew their Jasmine tobacco this year and couldn't understand why some people were crazy about the nicotiana scent LOL! I must admit though that the flowers are great and very numerous.
If you happen to find the "real thing" please tell us in your thread, so I will give it a try.
This message was edited Aug 29, 2006 5:57 PM
Bbhow,
try this one: http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/2872/index.html.
It is fantastic!!
I've also been told Fragrant Cloud has the best scent...got seeds this year but didn't get them planted...can't wait for next year!!
Thanks so much, ecrane, zarcanat, berrygirl, and Chantell! I will obtain the fragrant cloud seeds for the next season and let you all know how they come out. Your comments and encouragement heve been great.
Brian How, bbhow
I bought a mixed "color bowl" of these from HD this year, of all places! It included some white, red, and dark and light purple flowers. The fabulous scents reminded me of after shave. The flowers and fragrance are stronger with high humidity. Maybe that's what they mean when they say the air was heavy with their perfume? How do I harvest seeds for next year? TIA. :0)
bb are you out there? :0)
I grew a nicotiana "Only the Lonely" this year. Pretty bloom but scent was not very strong.
Jan...
Hi Prairie Girl. Sorry, I've been out of town with an illness in the family.
Back at it again, though we're expecting a killing frost any night now here in NW Pennsylvania. Time to start pawing through the catalogs for cool plants for next season.
Thanks for asking after me!
Brian
You might want to check out www.fragrantpathseeds.com The majority of the seeds they carry are fragrant. The minimum order is $5 w/ $1 S&H and all the seed packs are either $1.50 or $2.00.
Thanks, dMac! I will!---Brian How
I have always loved flowering tobacco because of the wonderful scent. During the spring I could not find it so when I found it at HD about a month ago I snatched that hanging basket. So disappointed no scent whatsoever and in Louisiana we have high humid nights and days.
There is a picture of nicotiana sylvistra (sp?) "Only the Lonely". It does have a good scent, the leaves at the base of the plant get very large so it needs room to grow, and small plants will loose out fighting for space. This one plant has come up close to the foundation to the house. It has survived our harsh winters here. Planted anywhere else in the yard will not survive.
Hi ladygardener1,
Thanks for the info about N. sylvestris. I will grow it for sure, though it is not the mystery tobacco I'm still seeking. Very interesting that it would survive the winters here---remember, I'm just a few miles from you in Albion! Hey, are there any nice garden clubs in the area? We moved here 6 years ago, but have been in a house for 11/2 years only. Still lasagna-gardening new beds as time and materials materialize. But we have some space! With no trees! Paradise. I would to here from you about what you grow.....Do you have sucesses with Oriental lilies, Trumpets, cold-hardy roses, what about black-spot, potatoes, those winterberry hollies, japanese maples, tree peonies, melons, blackberries, plums, and apricots?
Thanks! Brian How
brianbhow@hotmail.com
Hi Brian,
Edinboro might have their own Garden Club, I know Albion does, I used to belong, but went back to work so there was not enough time in the day and meetings were during working hours.
I do grow Oriental lilies, don't have much luck with roses, Clay soil is a problem. I don't have room for fruit trees, I do mostly frowers. You can take a look at my journal to see what I do grow, there are some pictures of the plants too.
Have you visited Scotland Yard, it's the nursery on Fry Road. I stop their several times in the spring to get plants for my containers. They might have some info on trees what would be good for you, they do sell some nice looking ones.
I order my lilies from White Flower Farm, and buy perennials form Bluestone Perennials in Madison Ohio, they have small plants that they grow on site but I like to establish my plants at a younger age then drop in a mature plant. I usually drive to Madison but this year I mailed ordered and was not disappointed.
Chris
This is "Color Parade" from White Flower Farm
