Shag Eniseiskaya Seeds

Shag Eniseiskaya is a variety of Nicotiana rustica, an annual species in the nightshade family. The name is kept here exactly as it appears in our catalogue. This page treats the variety as a garden plant and gives sowing and growing notes at the level of the species, because our card does not yet hold variety-specific measurements.

Also known as: Aztec tobacco, mapacho, wild tobacco (names used for the species Nicotiana rustica)

About the plant

Nicotiana rustica is a different species from the common cultivated Nicotiana tabacum. Botanical references usually describe it as a shorter, branching plant with rounded leaves and small greenish-yellow flowers, in contrast to the taller, pink-flowered N. tabacum. Exact height, leaf size and flower colour of Shag Eniseiskaya have not been recorded on our card, so we do not state them here.

• Species: Nicotiana rustica
• Family: Solanaceae (nightshade family)
• Habit: annual, grown from seed each season
• Variety name: Shag Eniseiskaya, as listed in our catalogue

Growing

Nicotiana seed is very small and dust-like. Seed of this kind is sown on the surface and is not buried, because germination of such fine seed generally depends on light.

• Sowing: fill a tray or small pots with fine, moist seed-starting mix, firm it gently and scatter the seed thinly over the top. Press it lightly into contact with the mix and leave it uncovered.
• Moisture: water from below or with a fine mist so the seed is not washed together. Keep the surface evenly damp, never waterlogged, and cover the tray with a clear lid or film until seedlings appear.
• Light and warmth: place the tray in bright light and in a warm spot. Cool, dark conditions slow fine seed of this genus considerably.
• Seedlings: the first leaves are tiny and grow slowly. Thin crowded seedlings, or move them one by one into small pots once they are large enough to handle by a leaf, never by the stem.
• Planting out: harden seedlings off over several days and move them outdoors only after the last frost, into a sunny position with soil that is rich and well drained. Allow enough space between plants for them to branch.

Keep records of your own sowing date, germination time and plant size. Because our card holds no variety-specific figures, your notes are the most reliable guide for the next season.

Seed notes

• Seed is fine and easy to lose. Open the envelope over a clean sheet of paper and sow from a folded crease.
• Mixing the seed with a little dry sand helps spread it more evenly over the surface.
• Store unused seed in a cool, dry, dark place in a sealed envelope or jar, labelled with the variety name and the year.
• Seed specifications such as seeds per gram, viability and lot test date are not yet recorded for this listing.

Sowing calendar

Annual Nicotiana is normally started indoors some weeks before the last expected frost, so that seedlings are ready to move outside when nights are no longer cold. The exact timing depends on your local climate. In regions with a long warm season, sowing can be done later; in short-season areas, an early indoor start is the usual approach.

FAQ

What are the sowing conditions for Shag Eniseiskaya?

Sow the seed on the surface of a fine, moist mix and do not cover it. Provide bright light and warmth, and keep the surface evenly damp until seedlings emerge.

When should I sow it?

Start seed indoors several weeks before your last frost date and plant out after frost danger has passed. Local timing varies, so use your own climate as the guide.

How tall does it grow?

We have no recorded height for this variety. Plants of Nicotiana rustica are generally described as shorter and more branching than N. tabacum, but measure your own plants for a reliable figure.