Jasmine tobacco
Nicotiana alata, family Solanaceae
A fragrant night-blooming tobacco grown for its showy flowers
Jasmine tobacco is a tobacco species grown mainly for its decorative flowers, which open in the evening and give off a strong scent at night. Native to parts of China and South America, it is popular in gardens for its range of flower colours and is also used for narghila tobacco in Iran.
- Flowers open in late afternoon and are fragrant at night
- Native to southern China and parts of South America
- Used for narghila tobacco in Iran
- Grown for a wide range of flower colours
- Pollinated mainly by night-flying moths
What does Jasmine tobacco look like?
Jasmine tobacco is a leafy plant that usually reaches between 30 and 60 cm in height. Its flowers are long and tubular, opening in the late afternoon or evening and giving off a noticeable floral aroma through the night. The blooms come in a wide range of colours, including pale, bright, and deep shades, and sometimes a single plant may show more than one colour. The plant is grown for its attractive flowers and scent.
Where does Jasmine tobacco come from?
This species is native to southern China and regions of South America such as the Atlantic Forest and pampa. It has become popular in gardens worldwide for its ornamental value. In Iran, it is known as tanbaku or Persian tobacco, and is sometimes used to make narghila tobacco, which is prepared by breaking up the leaves by hand rather than chopping them.
When and how Jasmine tobacco blooms
Jasmine tobacco is usually grown from seed. Young plants are best moved outdoors gradually to help them adjust. The plant prefers moist soil and does not tolerate dry conditions well. It grows best in sunny or partly shaded spots. Flowers appear from summer into autumn, and removing old flower stalks encourages more blooms. The plant can also self-seed in the garden.
How Jasmine tobacco is used
Gardeners grow jasmine tobacco mainly for its evening and night flowers, which add scent and colour to outdoor spaces. In Iran, the leaves are sometimes used for narghila tobacco, prepared by hand rather than machine. The plant is also valued for attracting moths, which pollinate the flowers at night.
Kinds of Jasmine tobacco
There are many cultivated forms and hybrids of jasmine tobacco, offering a wide palette of flower colours. Some varieties may display several colours on a single plant. These cultivars have been bred for garden use and for their strong nighttime fragrance.
What Jasmine tobacco means
Jasmine tobacco is appreciated for its evening scent and is a favourite in night gardens. In Iran, it has a role in making narghila tobacco. The plant is also important for nocturnal moths, which are its main pollinators. Its colourful flowers and fragrance have made it a staple in ornamental gardening.
Questions people ask about Jasmine tobacco
Where does jasmine tobacco come from?
Jasmine tobacco is native to southern China and regions in South America, such as the Atlantic Forest and pampa.
What does jasmine tobacco look like?
It is a leafy plant about 30–60 cm tall, with long tubular flowers that open in the evening and come in many colours.
What is jasmine tobacco used for?
It is mainly grown as a garden flower for its scent and colour. In Iran, its leaves are sometimes used for narghila tobacco.
When does jasmine tobacco flower?
The plant blooms from summer through autumn in the northern hemisphere, with flowers opening in the late afternoon or evening.
What pollinates jasmine tobacco?
Night-flying moths are the main pollinators of jasmine tobacco flowers.
Good reading and sources
- USDA Plants DatabaseUS Department of Agriculture, Article
- Nicotiana alataRoyal Horticultural Society, Article
- Plants of the World OnlineRoyal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Plant database
- Where it has been recordedGBIF, Plant database
- Sightings and photos by naturalistsiNaturalist, Plant database
- Nicotiana alata on WikipediaEncyclopedia
- More photos on Wikimedia CommonsPhotos
- Wikidata recordOpen data
The facts on this page come from the Wikipedia article "Nicotiana alata", written by its contributors and used under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence, and from its Wikidata record (CC0). Phool rewrote the text in its own words, with AI assistance, and compares every page with the article to make sure no passage is copied. It may be reused under the same CC BY-SA 4.0 licence with a link back.
It may contain mistakes. It is not medical or foraging advice: many flowers are poisonous, and traditional uses are reported, not recommended. If something is wrong, tell us. Last refreshed 2026-10-03.
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