Shag Vishnevetskaya Seeds

Shag Vishnevetskaya is a variety of Nicotiana rustica, an annual plant in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). The name is kept exactly as it appears in our catalogue, where the seed is filed under Tobacco and Shag Seeds. The product card records only the species and the name, so this page says nothing about the height, leaf shape or flower colour of this particular variety and keeps to what is known about the species and about sowing its seed.

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

Plant at a glance

• Species: Nicotiana rustica, a separate species from the more widely grown Nicotiana tabacum
• Family: Solanaceae, shared with tomato, pepper and petunia
• Life cycle: annual, started from seed each season
• Typical species traits: a branching, fairly compact plant with rounded leaves on short stalks and small greenish-yellow tubular flowers
• This variety: height, leaf and flower details are not recorded on the card, so individual plants may differ from the species description

How the seed is sown

The seed of Nicotiana is close to dust in size. Seed this fine is not buried, because it needs light to germinate and a covering of soil works against it.

• Mix: fill a shallow tray or small pots with fine seed-starting mix, firm it gently and moisten it before sowing.
• Spreading: open the envelope over a sheet of paper and tap the seed out from a crease. Blending it with a pinch of dry sand makes thin, even sowing easier.
• Contact: press the seed lightly onto the surface with a flat board or your palm, and leave it uncovered.
• Water: mist the surface or water from below so the seed is not washed into clumps. A clear lid holds humidity until the first leaves show.
• Position: bright light and a warm room. Cold, dim conditions slow germination of this genus.

No germination time, sowing temperature or seed specification is saved for this variety, so no figures are quoted here. If your seedlings take longer than expected, check the light and warmth first, and then the surface moisture.

From seedling to garden

• Seedlings start small and grow slowly at first. Thin crowded trays, or move seedlings into individual pots once they can be lifted by a leaf, never by the stem.
• Harden the young plants off over several days before they go outside.
• Plant out only when frost is no longer expected, in a sunny spot with fertile, well-drained soil.
• Leave room between plants, since the species is described as branching. The card gives no spacing figure for this variety.

What is not recorded yet

The card for this item has no photographs, seed specifications or measurements. For that reason the page does not give a seed count per gram, a viability period, a germination percentage or a mature height. These can be added once they have been checked against the seed itself.

FAQ

What are the sowing conditions for Shag Vishnevetskaya?

Sow it on the surface of fine, moist mix and do not cover it. Keep the tray in bright light, warm and evenly damp until seedlings appear.

When should I sow it?

Annual Nicotiana is usually started indoors several weeks before the last expected frost, so the seedlings are sturdy by the time nights stay warm. The card gives no variety-specific date, so adjust to your own climate.

How tall does it grow?

No height is recorded for this variety. Nicotiana rustica is generally described as a branching plant that is shorter than N. tabacum, but final size depends on light, soil, spacing and the length of your season.