Tobacco, Shirazi (Nicotiana tabacum var. shirazi)

With large, lush leaves and tall stalks topped by sprays of soft pink, star-shaped flowers, Shirazi Tobacco brings both elegance and drama to the summer garden, adding height and movement to the landscape. This variety is the most widely grown species of tobacco and while native to the Americas, its cultivation can be traced to regions influenced by Persian and Middle Eastern traditions, where forms of Nicotiana were historically grown for ceremonial use, fragrance, or household gardens where its evening scent could shine.

Shirazi’s tall stature makes it a natural backdrop with its generous display of rosy, funneling blooms, and with ample sun and steady moisture, the lavish foliage can be nurtured to grow abundant and large leaves, offering ample harvest for curing. Its flowers open toward dusk, releasing a subtle sweetness that attracts moths and other night-flying pollinators, making it as environmentally significant as it is beautiful and turning the twilight garden into a place of quiet, humming life.