Wild Tobacco

Nicotiana rustica

Wild tobacco has been used medicinally and ceremonially among Indigenous communities across Turtle Island for centuries. A bushy plant growing up to five feet tall, the small buttery yellow flowers are lightly scented and best left on the plant to be enjoyed. Easy to grow, preferring full or partial sun, it is a prolific self-seeder that is somewhat heat and drought tolerant.

This seed was originally harvested at the Chén̓chenstway Indigenous Food Forest in Vancouver, and gifted to the grower a few years ago with permission to grow it out and further gift and sell it. The elder who had grown the seed expressed that it is especially appreciated when settlers grow it out and offer the leaves to Indigenous elders as a gift. 50% of the grower's profit from the sale of these seeds will go to the Elders Program at the Aboriginal Mother Center Society, in Vancouver, in order to facilitate the decolonizing of bridges to non-Indigenous communities.

Direct sow in spring, pressing into the surface of the soil. Keep the soil lightly moist until germination, which usually occurs within 10-20 days. Or start indoors 6-8 weeks before the last frost of spring. Keep seedlings moist until they become established.