Lime Green Tobacco Nicotiana 'Lime Green'

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

The Nicotiana 'Lime Green' is a vibrant and ornamental plant known for its distinctive lime green flowers. These flowers are tubular in shape and hang gracefully from the branches, giving a cascading effect that is quite attractive in garden arrangements and as filler amid other flowers in bouquets. The blooms themselves are made even more appealing by their star-shaped faces, which open out from the slender tubes to greet their environment. Nicotiana 'Lime Green' stands out due to the unusual hue of its blossoms, which is a soft, almost translucent green that effortlessly blends with a variety of other plants and flowers, adding both texture and a splash of unexpected color. The foliage of Nicotiana 'Lime Green' is also worthy of note, with leaves that are large, lush, and a deep shade of green. These leaves serve as an excellent backdrop for the delicate flowers, emphasizing their light green coloring. The overall appearance of the plant is one of gentle contrast, with the soft green shades varying lightly throughout. The stems are sturdy enough to support the weight of the blooms and the lush foliage, maintaining an upright and elegant posture. Cultivated for its ornamental value, this plant brings an element of architectural interest as well, thanks to its vertical growth habit which draws the eye upward. Furthermore, the Nicotiana 'Lime Green' may produce a pleasant scent, particularly in the evening, making it not only a visual delight but also an olfactory one. This adds an extra layer of sensory appeal to spaces where the plant is situated, whether in outdoor garden beds or as part of indoor floral displays.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Solanaceae
- Synonyms
  Lime Green Tobacco, Lime Green Flowering Tobacco
- Common names
  Nicotiana 'Lime Green'
Toxicity
- To humans
  The plant known as 'Lime Green' flowering tobacco is considered poisonous due to its content of nicotine and other toxic alkaloids. Ingesting any part of the plant can lead to poisoning, with symptoms that can include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, dizziness, headache, and in severe cases, it could potentially cause respiratory failure or coma. It is essential to avoid consuming any part of this plant.
- To pets
  'Lime Green' flowering tobacco is toxic to pets as well. Consuming parts of this plant can result in symptoms similar to those in humans, such as vomiting, diarrhea, hyper-salivation, and can lead to more severe signs like tremors, seizures, difficulty breathing, and potentially death, especially if left untreated. Owners should prevent pets from having access to this plant.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Annuals
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Lime green
- Height
  3 feet (0.91 meters)
- Spread
  1 foot (0.30 meters)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  10
- Native area
  South America

Benefits

General Benefits
- Ornamental Value: Nicotiana 'Lime Green' offers striking lime-green flowers, which add a unique splash of color to garden landscapes and floral arrangements.
- Attracts Pollinators: The plant is known to attract beneficial pollinators like bees and hummingbirds, supporting biodiversity.
- Fragrance: It emits a pleasant scent, especially in the evening, which can enhance the sensory experience in a garden or outdoor space.
- Versatility: This variety of Nicotiana can be used in various garden settings, including borders, beds, and containers, due to its manageable size and shape.
- Shade Tolerance: Capable of growing in partial shade, it provides flexibility in garden design, allowing for placement in less sunny spots.
- Easy to Grow: The plant is generally low-maintenance, making it suitable for novice gardeners or those with limited time for gardening chores.
Medical Properties
This plant is not used for medical purposes.
Air-purifying Qualities
This plant is not specifically known for air purifying qualities.
Other Uses
- Insect Repellent: The leaves of the Nicotiana plant can be used as a natural insect repellent due to its strong scent, which is known to deter certain insect pests.
- Ornamental Dye: The vibrant green color of the 'Lime Green' variety can be used as a natural dye for fabrics or paper, adding a unique ornamental hue without the use of chemicals.
- Photography: Some photographers use Nicotiana 'Lime Green' as a subject or backdrop in plant and garden photography due to its striking color and shape, providing an alluring aesthetic.
- Dramatic Lighting Effects: With proper lighting, the translucent leaves of Nicotiana 'Lime Green' can create dramatic effects in evening gardens, perfect for night-time garden events or displays.
- Arts and Crafts: The leaves and flowers can be used in arts and crafts, like pressing for decorative botanical arrangements or inclusion in handmade papers.
- Garden Design: Nicotiana 'Lime Green' is used in garden design for its ability to create a bold contrast with dark-leaved plants, aiding in the visual structure of garden beds.
- Culinary Garnish: Although not commonly consumed, the flowers can be used as an ornamental garnish for dishes in upscale culinary presentations for their unique color and visual appeal.
- Educational Purposes: Nicotiana 'Lime Green' can be used in educational settings, such as schools and botanical gardens, as an example of plant breeding for desirable traits like color and form.
- Floral Displays: The bright green flowers of Nicotiana 'Lime Green' are often used in floral displays and arrangements to create a pop of color and a touch of whimsy.
- Sensory Gardens: This plant is suitable for sensory garden designs where touch and smell are emphasized, due to the textured leaves and distinct fragrance.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The plant Nicotiana is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The plant Nicotiana is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Caution - The nicotine content in "Flowering Tobacco" serves as a natural warning for its toxic properties, symbolizing the need for caution.
- Peace - The delicate and soothing lime green color of its flowers is often associated with tranquility and peace.
- Purification - "Flowering Tobacco" has been used in some traditional practices for its purifying properties, symbolizing cleansing and renewal.
- Healing - In certain cultures, tobacco is considered to have medicinal properties, hence the plant can be seen as a symbol of healing despite its potential for harm.
- Temptation - The attractiveness of the plant coupled with its toxic nature can represent the concept of temptation or forbidden pleasures.

💧

Every 1-2 days

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every year

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
The Lime Green Tobacco should be watered thoroughly when the top inch of soil feels dry to the touch, which is typically once or twice a week depending on the climate and soil drainage. It's best to water this plant early in the morning or late in the afternoon to avoid evaporation. Apply water directly to the base of the plant, avoiding wetting the foliage, which can promote disease. For a young plant, use approximately 16-24 ounces of water each time, ensuring it reaches the roots without saturating the soil. Reduce watering frequency during cooler months or if the plant is in a particularly humid environment.
Light
Lime Green Tobacco thrives in full sun to partial shade. The ideal spot for the plant is where it will receive at least six hours of direct sunlight each day, but it can also tolerate and bloom in partial shade. Avoid placing it in full deep shade, as this will reduce its vigor and flowering capability.
Temperature
The Lime Green Tobacco prefers a temperature range between 60°F and 75°F which are ideal growing conditions for it. However, it can survive in temperatures as low as 40°F and as high as 90°F. To ensure optimal growth and flowering, protect the plant from extreme heat and frost by providing some shade during the hottest part of the day or some frost protection cover during cold nights.
Pruning
Pruning Lime Green Tobacco is important to encourage bushier growth and more blooms. Deadhead spent flowers regularly to promote continuous blooming throughout the season. Cut back the plant by about one third in midsummer if it starts to look leggy or overgrown. The best time for a major prune is late winter or early spring before new growth begins.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Flowering Tobacco prefers well-draining soil rich in organic matter with a pH range of 6.0 to 7.0. A mix combining garden soil, peat, and perlite in equal parts can provide optimal growth conditions.
Repotting
Flowering Tobacco does not typically require frequent repotting; it's often grown as an annual. Repot only if it outgrows its container or every 2-3 years for perennials.
Humidity & Misting
Flowering Tobacco thrives in moderate to high humidity levels, ideally between 40-70%. Avoid environments that are too dry to maintain healthy foliage and flowers.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Ensure bright light, well-drained soil, and regular watering.
- Outdoor
  Plant in partial shade, moist soil, and protect from strong winds.
- Hardiness zone
  10-11 USDA
Life cycle
The life of Nicotiana 'Lime Green' begins with seed germination, which requires a warm soil temperature and occurs within 10-20 days after sowing. The seedling stage follows, where two true leaves develop and allow the plant to photosynthesize and grow. As it enters the vegetative stage, the plant forms a rosette of larger leaves and begins to develop a strong root system. Transitioning to the flowering stage, Nicotiana 'Lime Green' produces tall spikes adorned with tubular, lime-green flowers that attract pollinators and bloom from early summer until the first frost. After pollination, the plant sets seeds, completing its reproductive cycle. The plant is an annual or short-lived perennial, meaning it completes its life cycle within one or two growing seasons, respectively, and can self-seed under suitable conditions.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- Propogation: For the Nicotiana 'Lime Green', commonly known as the lime green tobacco plant, the most popular method of propagation is by seed. The optimal time to sow these tiny seeds is late winter to early spring, generally a few weeks before the last frost date when they can be started indoors to get a head start on the growing season. To propagate, seeds are scattered on the surface of a moist, well-drained seed starting mix, as they require light to germinate. They should not be covered with soil, but lightly pressed into the soil surface. The seed tray should then be placed in a warm area, around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit (approximately 21-24 degrees Celsius), and kept consistently moist but not waterlogged. Germination usually occurs within 10-14 days. Once seedlings are large enough to handle and after the danger of frost has passed, they can be transplanted outdoors into their final growing positions, whether in the bed or container garden.