Nicotiana glauca (Tree Tobacco)

Photographs

My photos:

These three photos were taken along De Luz Road in northern San Diego County - along the back side of Camp Pendleton. The photos below show a tall specimen growing along the road cut, and a young plant just starting to grow.

More photos:

click photo to enlarge

Plant Information

Solanaceae

In the garden:

Tree tobacco is an erect shrub or small tree, which grows from 6 to 25 feet tall. Branching is loose, drooping, and open. Flat green leaves are from 1 to 3 inches in length. It blooms mostly in the spring and summer with tubular yellow flowers. It is not often used in the landscape, but can help with erosion control.

In the wild:

Common in waste places, below 3000 feet. Native to Northwestern Argentina. No information found about how it arrived in North America.

Ethnobotany:

This plant is reported to be highly toxic when leaves or flowers are ingested. Nevertheless there are many references to it being smoked by native people, and even a few references to a decoction being taken.

Field Trips
Anza Borrego Caspers Holy Jim Canyon Idyllwild
Joshua Tree Mt Palomar Rancho Santa Ana Torrey Pines
De Luz Road

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