Flowering Tobacco Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach' (Merlin Series)

☠ Toxic to humans

🐾 Toxic to pets

🌸 Blooming

🍪 Not edible

‍🌱 Easy-care

ABOUT

Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach', also commonly known as Flowering Tobacco from the Merlin Series, is a beautiful ornamental plant prized for its delightful floral display. It produces lovely trumpet-shaped flowers that captivate the senses with a soft peach coloring, sometimes infused with subtle shades of pink. The blooms, arranged in clusters, adorn the upright stems and create a visually stunning effect in the garden. The plant's deep green leaves are large and slightly textured, providing a lush backdrop for the delicate blossoms. The leaves grow in a basal rosette formation at the base of the stems, which rise upward bearing the enchanting flowers. The overall appearance of Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' is one of graceful charm, inviting gardeners and onlookers alike to savor its gentle color palette and the sweet fragrance that the flowers emit, especially noticeable in the evening. Despite the omission of its dimensions, the plant's aesthetic quality ensures it remains a captivating addition to any outdoor space. Its serene presence can transform garden areas into a restful retreat where the colors and scents mingle to create a tranquil ambiance.

Plant Info

Care

Common Problems

About this plant

Names
- Family
  Solanaceae
- Synonyms
  Tobacco Plant, Flowering Tobacco, Ornamental Tobacco
- Common names
  Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach'
Toxicity
- To humans
  Flowering Tobacco contains nicotine and other alkaloids which can be toxic if ingested. It is particularly poisonous to children. Symptoms of poisoning might include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, weakness, dizziness, and in severe cases, it can lead to respiratory failure or even death. Therefore, all parts of the plant should be considered potentially dangerous if consumed.
- To pets
  Flowering Tobacco is also toxic to pets due to the presence of nicotine and related compounds. If pets ingest any part of the plant, symptoms might include vomiting, diarrhea, hyper-salivation, depression, an abnormally fast or slow heart rate, and in severe cases, they might experience seizures, muscle weakness, or respiratory failure. It is important to seek veterinary care immediately if ingestion is suspected.
Characteristics
- Life cycle
  Annuals
- Foliage type
  Deciduous
- Color of leaves
  Green
- Flower color
  Peach
- Height
  1-2 feet (30-60 cm)
- Spread
  1 feet (30 cm)
- Plant type
  Herb
- Hardiness zones
  10
- Native area
  South America

Benefits

General Benefits
- Attractive Flowers: Produces lovely peach-colored blooms that add a vibrant pop of color to any garden setup.
- Pollinator-Friendly: Attracts bees, butterflies, and other beneficial insects, aiding pollination in the garden.
- Easy to Grow: Known for being low-maintenance and easy to care for, suitable for gardeners of all skill levels.
- Drought Tolerant: Once established, it has good tolerance to dry conditions, reducing the need for frequent watering.
- Continuous Blooming: Offers a long flowering period, providing consistent beauty throughout the growing season.
- Versatile Planting: Suitable for garden beds, borders, and containers, allowing for various landscaping uses.
- Scented Flowers: The blooms emit a light, pleasant scent, adding an olfactory dimension to the garden experience.
- Compact Habit: The plant has a compact growth habit, making it ideal for smaller garden spaces or as part of a mixed planting.
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
- Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach', commonly known as flowering tobacco, can be used as a natural insect repellent when its leaves are crushed and applied to skin or clothing, as they contain compounds that insects find unpleasant.
- The flowers of the flowering tobacco can be used as a colorful garnish for salads and desserts, although consumption should be done with care due to the presence of toxic alkaloids.
- Dried leaves of flowering tobacco can be used in potpourri for its scent and to take advantage of its natural insecticidal properties.
- The plant can be used in educational settings for botany studies due to its quick growth cycle and easily observable plant structures.
- Flowering tobacco can be included in a moon garden, which is planted with night-blooming or pale flowers that are visible in the moonlight, adding an ethereal glow to the garden at night.
- Artists can use the vibrant hue of the 'Merlin Peach' flowers as a natural pigment for paints or dyes after proper processing.
- The fragrance of flowering tobacco makes it a useful addition to natural perfumes and fragrances when the essential oils are extracted.
- Photographers can utilize flowering tobacco as a subject for macro photography due to its intricate flower structure.
- Flowering tobacco plants can serve as inspiration for artists and designers, who may use the forms and colors of the plant in fashion, textiles, or graphic design.
- The stalks of the plant might be used in crafts or as organic stakes for supporting other plants, reusing the fibrous material once the plant has finished blooming.

Interesting Facts

Feng Shui
The flowering tobacco is not used in Feng Shui practice.
Zodiac Sign Compitability
The flowering tobacco is not used in astrology practice.
Plant Symbolism
- Attraction: The showy flowers of 'Merlin Peach' Nicotiana (often known simply as Nicotiana or Flowering Tobacco) attract pollinators, symbolizing an allure or magnetic charm.
- Warning: Nicotiana is a genus that contains nicotine, a toxic substance. It symbolizes caution or warning, as many of its plant family members are poisonous.
- Healing: Historically, tobacco has been used in medicinal practices by indigenous peoples, so this plant can symbolize healing despite its toxic properties.
- Peace: Tobacco is often associated with Native American peace rituals, where it was used as an offering, and so the plant can represent peace and ceremonial respect.
- Nighttime: Nicotiana flowers often release their fragrance at night, symbolizing the mysteries or allure of nocturnal hours.

💧

Every 1-2 weeks

Water

☀️

2500 - 10000 Lux

Light

💦️

Humidity

🪴

Every year

Repotting

🌱️

Spring-Early Summer

Propogation

✂️️

As needed

Pruning

Water
Flowering Tobacco, also known as Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach', should be watered deeply once a week with approximately one to one and a half gallons of water per plant, ensuring that the soil is moist but not waterlogged. During hot and dry spells, it may require more frequent watering, such as every two to three days, to maintain consistent soil moisture. It is best to water early in the morning to allow foliage to dry before nightfall, reducing the risk of disease.
Light
Flowering Tobacco thrives in a location with full sun to partial shade. Ideally, provide it with at least six hours of sunlight daily. If you're planting it outdoors, place it in a spot where it will receive morning sun and some afternoon shade, especially in hotter climates to prevent scorching.
Temperature
Flowering Tobacco prefers temperatures ranging from 60 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit during the day and above 50 degrees Fahrenheit at night. It can survive slightly lower temperatures but frost can severely damage or kill the plant. The ideal temperature range for this plant is warm and tempered, not experiencing extreme highs or lows.
Pruning
Flowering Tobacco benefits from regular deadheading to promote continued blooming and prevent self-sowing. Prune spent flowers and any leggy stems during the growing season to maintain a bushy, attractive form. The best time for pruning is in the late evening or early morning when the plant is not in full sun.
Cleaning
As needed
Soil
Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' prefers a well-draining soil mix with good organic matter content. Aim for a pH between 6.0 and 7.0 for optimal growth. A mix of loam, peat, and perlite or sand can provide the right balance of drainage and moisture retention.
Repotting
Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' should be repotted annually to ensure it has enough room for root growth and to refresh the soil, which can become compacted and nutrient-depleted over time.
Humidity & Misting
Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' thrives in moderate to high humidity levels, ideally between 40-70%. Avoid placing it in overly dry conditions as it can stress the plant and hinder its growth.
Suitable locations
- Indoor
  Place Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' in bright, indirect light indoors.
- Outdoor
  Plant Flowering Tobacco 'Merlin Peach' in partial shade outdoors.
- Hardiness zone
  10-11 USDA
Life cycle
The life of the Merlin Peach Nicotiana typically begins when a seed germinates, typically in early to mid-spring, in warm, moist soil conditions. After germination, a seedling emerges, showing its first set of true leaves and beginning the vegetative growth phase where the plant focuses on leaf development. As it matures during late spring to early summer, the Merlin Peach Nicotiana enters the flowering stage, producing tubular peach-colored flowers that are attractive to hummingbirds and other pollinators. Following pollination, these flowers develop into seed capsules, and by late summer or early fall, the plant sets seeds which can be collected once the capsules dry and crack open. In temperate climates, Merlin Peach Nicotiana is often an annual, dying with the first frost, while in warmer climates, it may persist as a perennial, potentially entering dormancy during colder months before resuming growth in the spring. Throughout its life, regular deadheading can prolong its flowering stage and prevent undesired self-seeding.
Propogation
- Propogation time
  Spring-Early Summer
- Propogation: Nicotiana 'Merlin Peach', commonly known as flowering tobacco, is usually propagated through seeds. The ideal time for sowing the seeds of Merlin Peach is during late winter or early spring. Seedlings can be started indoors 6 to 8 weeks before the last frost date. To propagate, scatter the tiny seeds across the surface of a well-draining seed starting mix as they need light to germinate. Do not cover them with soil; instead, lightly press them into the mix and mist to keep them moist. Place the container in a warm area, around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit (21-24 degrees Celsius), and maintain a humid environment until germination occurs, usually within 1-2 weeks. After seedlings have developed their second set of true leaves, they can be transplanted into individual pots and eventually moved outside after the danger of frost has passed.