How to Grow Nicotiana
'Sensation Mixed' from Seed
The Jasmine Tobacco -- a heritage Half-Hardy Annual producing trumpet-shaped star flowers in carmine, pink, purple, rose, and white on 60-90cm upright stems; flowers stay open all day and release a powerful sweet jasmine fragrance that intensifies beautifully at dusk; the heritage Sensation strain retains superior fragrance to modern compact bedding types; surface sow in light at 18-20°C; plant in rich moist soil near a seating area; deadhead for continuous flowering to October; all parts toxic
Nicotiana 'Sensation Mixed' (Nicotiana alata) is the flowering tobacco that has earned the nickname "Jasmine Tobacco" -- a designation that captures its most remarkable quality with precision. The sweet, penetrating, jasmine-like fragrance that the flowers release in the cool of the evening is one of the most distinctive and evocative scents available from a half-hardy annual in the UK garden, intensifying as temperatures drop at dusk and carrying for surprising distances across a summer garden. Unlike many fragrant plants that require close proximity for the scent to register, a well-established group of Sensation Mixed Nicotiana can perfume an entire patio or garden seating area from several metres away as the sun sets.
The 'Sensation Mixed' strain is an older, heritage-type Nicotiana alata that is specifically worth seeking out over modern compact bedding types bred for size and continuous outdoor opening. The Sensation strain reaches the more natural 60-90cm height of the species and retains the superior fragrance that has been progressively reduced in modern dwarf varieties bred primarily for visual impact in hanging baskets and bedding. For gardeners who want the true Nicotiana experience -- the jasmine evening fragrance alongside the warm-palette colour mix of carmine, pink, purple, rose, and white star-trumpets -- Sensation Mixed is the variety of choice.
Quick Facts at a Glance
Plant Type
Half-Hardy Annual -- more fragrant heritage strain than modern compact bedding types
Flowers
Trumpet-shaped stars; carmine, pink, purple, rose, white; stay open all day + dusk
Fragrance
Sweet jasmine-like scent intensifying beautifully at dusk -- "Jasmine Tobacco"
Height
60-90cm; upright elegant habit; mid-to-back of border or large container
Sow
Surface sow/light; 18-20°C; 10-14 days; plant out May-June after frost
Difficulty
2 out of 5 -- tiny seeds need care; warmth essential; worth it for the scent
Understanding the Heritage Strain
Day-Opening vs. Evening-Opening -- The Sensation Advantage
One of the key distinctions between Nicotiana alata varieties and the taller Nicotiana sylvestris (White Trumpets) is the flower-opening behaviour. Nicotiana sylvestris closes its trumpets during the heat of the day, opening and releasing fragrance only in the evening. Nicotiana alata 'Sensation Mixed', however, remains open throughout the day -- flowers that greet the morning gardener with colour and provide the daytime visual interest that the evening-only varieties cannot. The fragrance intensifies significantly at dusk (as with many night-scented flowers), but the display is present from morning to night rather than only during the evening hours. This makes Sensation Mixed the better choice for a daytime garden viewing position.
The Heritage Fragrance -- Why Older Strains Are Worth Growing
Modern compact Nicotiana alata varieties bred for bedding use have been selected primarily for dwarf habit, weather tolerance, and continuous flower production in exposed outdoor conditions. The fragrance that made the species famous has been a casualty of this breeding process -- diminished in favour of practical bedding performance. The Sensation strain is an older, less-bred variety that retains much closer to the natural fragrance intensity of wild Nicotiana alata. For gardeners who have grown modern bedding Nicotiana without being particularly impressed by the scent, Sensation Mixed may be a revelation -- the difference in evening fragrance intensity between a heritage strain and a modern bedding compact type can be significant.
Toxicity -- All Parts Toxic if Ingested
Nicotiana belongs to the Nightshade family (Solanaceae). All parts of the plant -- leaves, stems, flowers, and seeds -- are toxic if ingested by humans or pets. The sticky leaf hairs can also irritate sensitive skin on contact. Always wash hands after handling. Wear gloves if you have sensitive skin. Keep away from children and pets.
Sowing & Growing On
Surface Sow at 18-20°C -- Light Required -- Do Not Cover
Scatter dust-like seeds onto the surface of moist compost from February-April. Press gently into the surface -- do not cover with soil, light is needed. Keep at 18-20°C in a bright position. Germination 10-14 days. Prick out when seedlings are large enough to handle. Plant out in May-June after all frost risk.
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Surface sow indoors Feb-April at 18-20°C. Do not cover -- seeds are tiny and need light. Scatter the dust-like seeds as thinly as possible onto moist, free-draining seed compost. Press very gently with a finger but do not bury. Keep in a bright position at consistent warmth. Germination 10-14 days. Seedlings are very small initially -- keep humid and in bright conditions.
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Prick out when seedlings have 2-3 true leaves into individual 9cm pots. Handle by the seed leaf only -- the seedlings are fragile. Use free-draining multipurpose compost. Grow on at 18-20°C in maximum available light. Harden off gradually over 10-14 days before planting out.
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Plant out in May-June at 30-40cm spacing after all frost risk has passed. Full sun to partial shade; rich, moisture-retentive soil. Partial shade keeps flowers open longer during hot summer afternoons. Feed fortnightly with a balanced liquid fertiliser from June. Position near a seating area or open window where the evening fragrance can be enjoyed.
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Deadhead spent flower stalks to encourage side shoots and extended flowering. Removing the central spike after it finishes flowering encourages the plant to produce lateral flowering shoots, extending the display from the initial June-July flush through to October. Without deadheading, the plant sets seed and reduces its flower production significantly.
Growing On & Care
The Evening Fragrance Experience
Position Nicotiana Sensation Mixed where the evening fragrance can be fully appreciated: against the wall near a kitchen or living room window, beside a patio seating area, or at the corner of a garden path where the scent is encountered on an evening walk. The jasmine-tobacco fragrance is richest on warm, still evenings when the cooling air concentrates rather than disperses the volatile fragrance compounds. On a warm July or August evening, a group of five well-established plants can create an olfactory experience as remarkable as any other the garden provides throughout the year.
The Colour Mix in the Border
The Sensation Mixed palette -- carmine red, hot pink, soft pink, purple, rose, and white -- is a warm-to-cool transitional mix that works beautifully in a cottage garden border where other summer annuals and perennials provide the wider colour context. The upright habit (60-90cm) makes Sensation Mixed suitable for the middle of a border, positioned in front of taller plants and behind low edging. The white and pale pink forms are particularly effective in the evening when they catch available light and appear to glow as the darker colours recede.
Pollinator Value -- Daytime and Dusk
Nicotiana alata is a high-value pollinator plant whose tubular flowers are visited by bumblebees and butterflies during the day (the open star-trumpet flower is accessible to a range of pollinators) and by hawk moths and other nocturnal pollinators at dusk and into the evening when the jasmine fragrance acts as a long-distance attractant. The evening fragrance and the white or pale flower forms of the mix are particularly effective at attracting nocturnal pollinators -- the hummingbird hawk moth in particular is a spectacular and increasingly common UK visitor that hovers before Nicotiana flowers at dusk.
Self-Seeding
Nicotiana Sensation Mixed is a prolific self-seeder in suitable conditions -- moist, moderately fertile soil in a position with some shelter. Self-sown plants typically appear around the base of established plants in spring, often in greater numbers than deliberately sown plants would produce. In a permanent border position, this self-seeding perpetuates the display year after year without further seed purchase. The colour mix in self-sown plants may shift slightly from the parent packet mix over several generations of self-seeding, typically with the colours that produce the most viable seed becoming gradually more dominant.
In Large Containers
Sensation Mixed grows successfully in large containers (minimum 30-litre) with rich, moisture-retentive compost and regular feeding. Containers placed on a sunny patio near a seating area provide the most rewarding evening fragrance experience. Water daily in hot weather -- containers dry out rapidly and Nicotiana wilts dramatically in drought, though recovering when watered. Use 3-5 plants per large container for a generous display. Position the container where it can be moved slightly to capture the best evening warmth and fragrance conditions.
Cutting for Indoor Fragrance
Nicotiana alata makes a fragrant cut flower, bringing the jasmine-tobacco scent indoors. Cut stems in the evening when fragrance is at peak intensity, re-cut at an angle, and place immediately in water. Condition in a cool location overnight. Vase life is moderate (5-7 days) but the fragrance in an evening room from even 3-4 stems is considerable. The warm-palette mix of carmine, pink, purple, rose, and white makes attractive mixed-colour bunches without any additional flowers needed.
Sowing & Flowering Calendar
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| Flowers (Jun-Oct) |
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Common Problems & Solutions
| Problem | Likely Cause | What to Do |
|---|---|---|
| Seeds not germinating | Covered with soil; temperature too low | Surface sow only -- seeds need light. Maintain 18-20°C consistently. The seeds are dust-like and almost impossible to see on the compost surface -- trust that they are there and wait the 10-14 day germination period. |
| Weak fragrance | Modern compact strain rather than heritage; soil too lean | Sensation Mixed is specifically a heritage strain selected for fragrance. Grow in rich, moisture-retentive soil and feed fortnightly -- well-nourished plants produce both more flowers and more fragrance-volatile essential oils than stressed, unfed plants. |
| Few flowers; plant leggy | Not deadheaded; insufficient light | Deadhead spent flower stalks promptly to encourage lateral flowering shoots. Ensure full sun or only light partial shade -- Nicotiana in deep shade produces few flowers. |
| Wilting in heat | Underwatering; container drying out | Nicotiana requires consistently moist soil. Water container plants daily in hot weather. Apply a generous mulch around border plants to retain moisture. Plants recover quickly when watered but repeated wilting reduces flower production. |
Plant Specifications
The jasmine scent that fills the garden at dusk -- the heritage flowering tobacco worth growing over any modern compact variety
Surface sow dust-like seeds at 18-20°C (light required, no covering). Plant out in rich moist soil in May-June at 30-40cm near a patio or seating area. Deadhead spent flower stalks for continuous lateral flowering. From June the carmine, pink, purple, and white star-trumpets stay open all day and release the sweet jasmine-tobacco fragrance that intensifies every evening.
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