An example of a field of wild tobacco.
According to Plot55.com, people have been growing and using tobacco plants in North America for thousands of years. Most species are native to the warm, subtropical regions of the continent, which include present day Mexico and much of the southern half of the U.S. Today, many species of tobacco also flourish in the colder, northern regions of North America.
Wild Tobacco
Wild tobacco (Nicotiana rustica) is an annual, aromatic herbaceous plant. It produces clusters of small, pale flowers, has oblong leaves and typically reaches heights of between 3 and 6 feet, according to Herbs2000.com. Originating in Mexico, the plant is now abundant in many parts of North America, and the continent’s indigenous people continue to use it for ceremonial and shamanic purposes. The world’s manufacturers of cigarettes, chewing tobacco and other tobacco products also use the plant, but for commercial gain as opposed to spiritual enlightenment. What makes wild tobacco the species of choice for the tobacco industry is its nicotine content. According to Plot55.com, in comparison to common tobacco, wild tobacco has approximately 10 times the amount of nicotine.
Common Tobacco
Common tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum) is an annual, woody, shrub-like plant that produces light pink flowers. The leaves of the plant vary widely depending on the specific cultivar, according to Ethnoleaflets.com, and can have differing tips, symmetries and stem structures. Some of the most common shapes for common tobacco leaves are oblong and lanceolate, the latter of which is slightly narrower than oblong. The precise origins of the tobacco are still unknown, but scientists believe that it may have surfaced as a natural hybrid, with one of its progenitors being the American Nicotiana sylvestris tobacco plant.
Coyote Tobacco
According to the Washington State Department of Natural Resources, coyote tobacco (Nicotiana attenuata) ranges from northwestern Mexico, New Mexico and Baja, California, in the south, to Montana, northern Idaho and southern British Columbia in the north. The highly aromatic plant typically grows to be between 12 and 40 inches in height. It features very distinctive tubular, white flowers which flare outwards similar to a trumpet. However, the petals of the flowers angle inwards, giving them a star-shaped appearance. The fuzzy or velvety leaves of the coyote tobacco plant usually occur as a cross between ovate (oval-shaped) and lanceolate; however they are sometimes elliptic. According to Dave’s Garden, due to its aromatic nature, the plant commonly attracts birds, bees and butterflies.
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