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Langsdorff's Tobacco
Nicotiana langsdorffii
Easy · Beginner friendlyAbout Langsdorff's Tobacco
Langsdorff's Tobacco is a Brazilian annual with slender 3 to 5 foot stems bearing airy panicles of nodding chartreuse-green small bell-shaped flowers with contrasting blue pollen. Its subtle lime-green color and open airy habit make it a modern designer plant for naturalistic cottage gardens and chartreuse color schemes, a signature of contemporary Chelsea Flower Show-inspired American garden design.
- Cut-flower
- Pollinator-friendly
How to care for Langsdorff's Tobacco
Watering
- Springevery 5 days
- Summerevery 4 days
- Fallevery 7 days
- Winterevery 10 days
Soil · Well-draining
- Top dressingPine bark mulch10%
- Main mixPotting soil + perlite 2:170%
- DrainageLECA / gravel20%
Never skip the drainage layer — standing water is the top cause of root rot.
FERTILIZER
Balanced Feed 14-14-14
An even feed covers all three needs at once, keeping leaves, roots and blooms moving together with nothing pushed out of balance.
- Nitrogen · Leaves
- Phosphorus · Roots + Blooms
- Potassium · Strength
- Springevery 21 days
- Summerevery 21 days
At a Glance
- NativeSouth America
- Height3–5 ft (0.9–1.5 m)
- Spread1–2 ft (0.3–0.6 m)
- Flower colorGreen
- Foliage colorGreen
- SoilLoamy, Well-drained
- LocationsYard
Bloom time
BLOOM CYCLE
Peak bloom
Jul–Nov
Nodding lime-green bell flowers July to frost
Toxicity
Humans Toxic · Pets Toxic
nicotine and nornicotine
Toxic
- Leaf
- Stem
- Flower
- Seed
- Ingestion
EXPOSURE Eating leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds.
EFFECT Nicotine-containing and severe GI and neurological toxicity if ingested.
NOTE Documented concern for humans: Nicotine-containing and severe GI and neurological toxicity if ingested.
Toxic
- Leaf
- Stem
- Flower
- Ingestion
EXPOSURE Eating leaves, stems, and flowers.
EFFECT ASPCA: nausea, vomiting, ataxia, tachycardia, seizures from nicotine and related alkaloids.
NOTE ASPCA lists Nicotiana as toxic to dogs and cats; all parts contain nicotine-type alkaloids.
Toxic
- Leaf
- Stem
- Flower
- Ingestion
EXPOSURE Eating leaves, stems, and flowers.
EFFECT ASPCA: nausea, vomiting, ataxia, tachycardia, seizures from nicotine and related alkaloids.
NOTE ASPCA lists Nicotiana as toxic to dogs and cats; all parts contain nicotine-type alkaloids.
Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
DISTRIBUTION
- Native
- Introduced
- South America
History
Nicotiana langsdorffii, known as Langsdorff's tobacco, is an annual herbaceous tobacco native to southern Brazil, Uruguay, Paraguay, and northern Argentina. German botanist Christian Friedrich Lehmann described it in 1818, naming it for Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff, a German-born naturalist and Russian consul-general in Rio de Janeiro who led a major 1820s expedition across Brazil. The plant bears airy panicles of nodding bell-shaped tubular flowers in unusual apple-green tones with bright blue anthers, an uncommon color combination prized by cottage garden and cut-flower designers.
Unlike most ornamental Nicotianas the blooms are largely unscented. Native to southern Brazil, introduced to cutting-edge American gardens in the 1990s after appearing in British designer plantings at Chelsea.
It was popularized by Great Dixter and other English gardens in the 1990s, and seed catalogs such as Chiltern, Jelitto, and Thompson and Morgan maintain seed stocks today.
Symbolism & meaning
What It Symbolizes
Langsdorff's Tobacco evokes quiet innovation — its chartreuse bells defy the unspoken rule that flowers should be warmly colored, offering instead a cool, almost luminous green. Paired with naturalistic grace, it brings airy, see-through structure to cottage and meadow plantings. It is a flower for gardeners who value the subtle subversion of expectation as much as the bloom itself.
- Quiet innovation — chartreuse defies flower-color clichés
- Naturalistic grace — airy form in cottage designs
Where the Name Comes From
'langsdorffii' honors Russian explorer Georg Heinrich von Langsdorff (1774-1852), who led scientific expeditions in Brazil.
Uses & Fun Facts
- Pendant lime-green bells unusual in airy summer bouquets
- Tubular green flowers attract hummingbirds and hawkmoths
- Airy chartreuse-green bells dance above heart-shaped leaves
Related plants
More Nicotiana plants
Jasmine TobaccoNicotiana alata
Nicotiana mutabilisNicotiana mutabilis
Woodland TobaccoNicotiana sylvestris
Plants with similar care
Chinese AbeliaAbelia chinensis
Fragrant AbeliaAbelia mosanensis
Large-Flowered AbeliaAbelia uniflora
Glossy AbeliaAbelia x grandiflora
Frequently asked questions
How often should I water Langsdorff's Tobacco?
In summer, water about every 4 days; in winter, about every 10 days. Adjust for heat, pot size and drainage.
How much light does Langsdorff's Tobacco need?
Full sun: 6+ hrs direct. Watch the leaves — scorching or stretching means the light needs adjusting.
Is Langsdorff's Tobacco toxic to cats or dogs?
Pets Toxic (Dogs Toxic · Cats Toxic) Educational information, not medical or veterinary advice. If exposure is suspected, contact a doctor or veterinarian.
Is Langsdorff's Tobacco easy to grow?
Yes — it is considered an easy, beginner-friendly plant.
When does Langsdorff's Tobacco bloom?
It typically blooms Jul–Nov in the Northern Hemisphere.
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