NICOTIANA
Nicotiana Tabacum Varieties:
'SMOKING TOBACCO'. Robust annual or short-lived perennial to 3 - 6 feet or more, with large leaves and beautiful rosy-red trumpet-shaped 2" flowers. Tropical America. Strikingly beautiful, attracts many hummingbirds, and a valuable organic insecticide. They are lovely, useful plants - you don't have to smoke them to like them - few things make me as happy as being next to a blooming tobacco plant!
LIABILITY DISCLAIMER NOTE: Nicotine is the single most addictive substance known to man. I doubt if anyone is unaware of the negative health consequences of tobacco use. I do not encourage anyone to use tobacco, but I also do not condemn anyone who does use it. I distribute tobacco seeds because it is a beautiful and useful plant, and because I feel that those who do use tobacco will benefit from growing it. I believe that growing your own will provide you with additive-free and pesticide-free tobacco. Tobacco taxes are extremely high, and are not earmarked to provide health-services to tobacco users as they should be, unfairly exploiting tobacco users. I call on all governments to earmark tobacco tax revenues solely for the medical care of tobacco-related health problems. I do encourage those who already use tobacco to try growing their own as this will help in harm reduction.
An interesting and overlooked idea, that was originated by health workers seeking harm reduction from tobacco use, is the strategy of producing high-nicotine tobacco, the opposite of commercial low-nicotine cigarettes. Low nicotine cigarettes tend to cause the smoker to smoke more. The theory here is that high-nicotine tobacco will enable the smoker to deliver a dose of nicotine that will satisfy the addiction with just a puff or two, reducing the amount of tar, carbon monoxide, benzene, smoke particulates, and other toxic, carcinogenic, and harmful components of cigarette smoke, in the same way that the nicotine "patch" reduces harm by avoiding damaging the lungs with tobacco smoke. Theoretically, dampened tobacco leaves placed on the skin could also deliver nicotine into the addicted person's system - there are cases where tobacco smugglers have gotten nicotine poisoning by carrying tobacco next to the skin.
Some pharmacologists have stated that research should be done to produce semi-synthetic analogues of the nicotine molecule that produce nicotine-like effects, but with lowered toxicity, as a harm-reduction strategy.
"You might like to know that tobacco grows very well outdoors in Alaska, reaching 6 feet tall and flowering even in cold wet summers. I just start the plants early, like tomatoes."—V. Robeson, 11/98.
Tobacco packets contain about 1200 to 2200 seed, and they run about 10,000 to 20,000 seeds per gram.
Up until a few years ago, tobacco was an allotment crop in 48 states - you needed Agriculture Department permission to grow more than 1/10 acre. Now you don't need permission, and you can grow as much as you like!
Burley types are planted at 6 - 7000 per acre (about 2 1/2 feet apart), the Havanas at 12,000 per acre (about 2 feet apart). For home use space 2 - 4 feet apart. A large plant can yield up to 5 oz. Curing isn't difficult, and good results can be obtained at home. Tobacco prohibition is coming, so learn to grow your own additive-free and tax-free supply.
For learning how to grow and cure tobacco for home use, we recommend the two inexpensive pamphlets we sell in our book section - see below for link. Home growers should try a couple of varieties to see what produces well for you and gives a type of tobacco that you like. Just like tomatoes, you need to try a few to find what you like! Also, different curing will affect the type of tobacco you end up with, so this is something to experiment with. Don't give up if you don't get what you like the first try - like cooking, it takes practice to find the right "recipe" that gives a tobacco suited to your personal taste.
Curing recipe from W.D. Fuller, Louisiana: Take mature, dried brown tobacco leaves and re-moisten so that they are quite soft. Seal in a plastic bag and leave in a closed car in the sun where it gets hot. Check the leaves twice a day - when the bag smells of ammonia when opened, they are done - remove from the bag and re-dry till all the ammonia is gone. When fully dry they can be remoistened to the state you like for smoking. The development of ammonia helps release the nicotine from where it is bound up in the leaf, and this recipe can actually change bad-tasting tobacco into excellent quality material.
Tobacco Mosaic Virus (TMV) is not carried in the seed - growing tobacco will not introduce this virus into your garden. It is carried by many plants, but not tobacco seed. TMV does not kill the plant, but reduces yield, and does not make the tobacco unfit for use.
Varieties susceptible to Black Shank should be grown in rotation with other crops.
There are very few sources for unpatented tobacco seed left, and these are all unpatented varieties.
Two other companies distributing heirloom tobacco seeds:
New Hope Seed Company: http://www.newhopeseed.com/tobacco/index.htm
Victory Seed Company: http://www.victoryseeds.com/tobacco/index.html
For more detailed information on tobacco cultivation and curing:
Kentucky & Tennessee Tobacco Production Guide: http://www.ca.uky.edu/agc/pubs/id/id160/id160.pdf
Virginia Cooperative Extension Tobacco Crop Guides: http://www.ext.vt.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Docs.woa/wa/getcat?cat=ir-cg-cr-to
SEE BOOK SECTION FOR TOBACCO BOOKS.
STANDARD BURLEY VARIETIES:
—Nicotiana Tabacum Burley KY-17. (a!,h) NICO-36KB. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 96% Tested: 10/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
A standard Kentucky Burley with high quality, good yield, and multiple disease resistance. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
Disease resistance levels:
Black Shank Race 0: Medium resistance.
Black Shank Race 1: Medium resistance.
Black Root Rot: High resistance.
Fusarium Wilt: Medium-low resistance.
Mosaic: High resistance.
Wildfire: High resistance.
—Nicotiana Tabacum Burley TN-90. (a!,h) NICO-36TB. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 88% Tested: 10/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
A standard Tennessee Burley with high quality, good yield, and multiple disease resistance. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
Disease resistance levels:
Black Shank Race 0: Medium resistance.
Black Shank Race 1: Medium resistance.
Black Root Rot: High resistance.
Mosaic: High resistance.
Wildfire: High resistance.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum VA 509. (a!,h) NICO-36VB. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Medium-early maturing stand-up burley that produces high quality and good yield. Stand-up varieties hold their leaves higher off the ground, keeping them cleaner. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
Disease resistance levels:
Black Shank Race 0: Medium resistance.
Black Shank Race 1: Medium resistance.
Black Root Rot: Medium low resistance.
Fusarium Wilt: Low resistance.
Wildfire: High resistance.
HAVANA TOBACCO VARIETIES:
These old Cuban varieties have been grown in the U.S. for decades, producing well even in northern states. The Havanas are smaller plants than the burley types, and are highly valued because of the fine flavor - Cuban cigars are renowned throughout the world! The seed is getting scarce.
—Nicotiana Tabacum Havana 608. (a!,h) NICO-36H6. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 92% Tested: 10/09, Gram: $9.00, 5 grams: $36.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
The best Havana for home use. Fast maturing in 65 days. High yield. Good for cigars and chew. Good in the North. Seed originally grown in Wisconsin.
RARE PERIQUE TOBACCO
This is the rarest commercial tobacco in North America, and one of the most highly-prized.
—Nicotiana Tabacum Perique. (a!,h) NICO-36PQ. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $9.00, 5 grams: $36.00
Click for photo »
'PERIQUE'. The famous and extremely rare Louisiana tobacco. Originally grown by the Indians and fermented and pressed in hollow logs, this is a very potent tobacco. Usually used mixed with milder types. Now grown by only a few families, the leaves are prepared by prolonged pressing and fermenting, into an almost black tobacco which commands high prices. My favorite! Germinates in 2 weeks warm.
DARK TOBACCO VARIETIES:
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Green Wood. (a!,h) NICO-36GW. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
A nice traditional variety that holds itself up well and gives a good yield of high-quality dark tobacco that cures a brown color. Good for chewing or smoking. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Little Crittenden. (a!,h) NICO-36LC. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
A good old-fashioned dark tobacco that holds itself up well, so that the leaves stay cleaner. Good yield and cures well. Makes a good chewing tobacco, as well as for smoking. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Little Wood. (a!,h) NICO-36LW. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
An old-fashioned dark tobacco with a shorter leaf than other types, producing good yields of good quality tobacco. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Improved Madole. (a!,h) NICO-36IM. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
Preferred by many growers for producing well and giving a high-quality dark tobacco leaf. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Narrow Leaf Madole. (a!,h) NICO-36NM. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 84% Tested: 11/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
An old narrow-leaf variety which cures well and produces a good yield of high quality dark tobacco. Used for cigars and chewing. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
—Nicotiana Tabacum Small Stalk Black Mammoth. (a!,h) NICO-36BM. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 8/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Gives a good weight of fine dark tobacco, and holds itself up well so that the leaves stay cleaner. Certified Kentucky-grown seed. "It is in great demand by some growers because it will produce either a wrapper or a snuff tobacco when allowed to get ripe."—Newton. "We've got leaves 3 1/2 feet long on this! Awesome!"—Bertrand, 8/96.
—Nicotiana Tabacum Tom Ross Madole. (a!,h) NICO-36TR. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 8/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
Gives a good yield of high quality dark tobacco which cures well. Preferred by many growers. Certified Kentucky-grown seed. "This tobacco out-performed about 8 varieties in my location 30 miles south of Tulsa, Oklahoma."—Bill Breckinridge, 2/97.
VIRGINIA TOBACCO VARIETIES:
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Brown Leaf. (a!,h) NICO-36BL. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
An old variety that originated in Kentucky, and much grown by Virginia growers. Has large leaves of medium body, producing a dark tobacco. Fair resistance to Black Root Rot.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Lizard Tail Orinoco. (a!,h) NICO-36LT. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00 5 GRAM UNIT OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS AND GRAMS ARE AVAILABLE
Another old variety much grown in Virginia. The medium-sized leaves are closely spaced on the stalk and have a heavy body. Produces a fine dark tobacco.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Lizard Tail Orinoco X Turtle Foot Cross. (a!,h) NICO-36TF. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00 BULK OUT OF STOCK - PACKETS ARE AVAILABLE
Originated from a cross between Lizard Tail Orinoco and Turtle Foot, producing a dark tobacco of good quality. Produces more weight than most varieties.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Shirey. (a!,h) NICO-36S. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
Pronounced "Shirley", this is a favorite of many growers, producing a high quality dark tobacco.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum VA 309. (a!,h) NICO-36V3. Packet: $2.50
Germination: 99% Tested: 11/09, Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
A good selection with high quality and good yields. Certified Kentucky-grown seed.
Disease resistance levels:
Black Shank Race 0: Medium resistance.
Black Shank Race 1: Medium resistance.
Black Root Rot: Medium resistance.
NEW—Nicotiana Tabacum Walker's Broadleaf. (a!,h) NICO-36WB. Packet: $2.50
Gram: $7.50, 5 grams: $30.00
An old Virginia variety, long grown. Medium-sized wide leaves that are spaced closely on the stalk.