Cut flower
Nicotiana (Tobacco Plant)
Nicotiana alata
Star-shaped night-scented trumpets — perfume drifts on summer dusk.
Full to partial
Moderate
Rich
Easy
Yes
Ornamental
Annual
Half-hardy
10 L
25 cm
Cut flower
Cleome (Spider Flower)
Nicotiana's alkaloids deter spider mites and whiteflies that attack cleome foliage.
Flower
Cosmos
Nicotiana's height provides wind shelter for delicate cosmos stems while both attract nocturnal pollinators.
Flower
Verbena bonariensis
Nicotiana's sticky exudate traps small insects while verbena attracts parasitic wasps, creating complementary pest management.
Situations where this plant is a reliable fit — from someone's kitchen sill to a wind-blown rooftop.
7 days
Warm water hold
Spike
Yes
Cut at
When 1/3 of the florets are open.
Honest note
Lime-green N. langsdorffii is a wedding-florist favourite.
Where to source
Get growing in United Kingdom
Shop local first
The best plants come from a real nursery, and the best trowel comes from the old-fashioned ironmonger down the road — people who know their stock and can advise. Try local first, both for the plant and the kit. It keeps small growers and small hardware shops alive.
Searching near London
For pots, compost, seed trays, twine and other kit — Amazon has the essentials if the local option isn't right. Not a plant nursery; use the local map above for the plant itself.
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