nicotiana, flowering tobacco

This common bedding plant produces colorful, tubular flowers with a large, star shaped entrance in shades of red, pink, green and white on upright stems over green, oval shaped, basal foliage. Newer varieties have been bred to be more compact and less fragrant than older varieties, but do well attracting butterflies and hummingbirds. They also may reseed in a protected area.

Grow in sunny areas, well-drained, amended soil or containers. Feed with a slow release fertilizer, Osmocote® or Plant-tone®. Follow label instructions. Repeat blooming, but trim as needed to maintain better blooming and a tidy habit. Mulch 2″ to suppress weeds, retain moisture and protect against extremes of soil temperature.