Nicotiana glauca (Tree Tobacco)

Scientific name - Nicotiana glauca

Synonyms

Nicotiana glauca var. angustifolia Comes; Nicotiana glauca var. decurrens Comes; Nicotiana glauca var. grandifloraComes

Common names

Mustard tree, tobacco bush, tobacco plant, tobacco tree, tree tobacco, wild tobacco

Family

Solanaceae

Origin

Native to South America.

Naturalised distribution (global)

Locations within which Nicotiana glauca is naturalised include Australia, warmer parts of Europe, sub-Saharan Africa, temperate Asia, New Zealand, USA, Mexico and Hawaii.

Introduced, naturalised or invasive in East Africa

Nicotiana glauca is present in Kenya, Tanzania and Uganda. It is invasive in parts of Kenya (A.B.R. Witt pers. obs.) and Tanzania (Henderson 2002).

Habitat

Nicotiana glauca grows in a wide variety of open and disturbed habitats including roadsides and lakeshores. It is mainly a problem in relatively dry areas.

Description

Nicotiana glauca is a much branched shrub or small tree that normally grows to a height of more than 2 m. It can reach 7 m in height.

Its leaves are thick and rubbery up to 20 cm long. It has yellow tubular flowers about 5 cm long and 1 cm wide.