The Official Newspaper for Foster County
The Official Newspaper for Foster County
Nicotiana has a reputation for being one of the most fragrant annuals. (Flickr photo by: kkmarais)
Would you like to grow a special flower in your garden? Something that is eye-catching? Something that is unforgettable?
A team of gardeners and I have tested hundreds of annual flower varieties across North Dakota over the last 15 years. This included trials at the Dragonfly Garden in Bismarck.
Whenever I provided visitors a tour of the Dragonfly Garden, someone would inevitably walk over to a stunning group of plants that towered like statues above the rest.
They would ask, "What is that?"
It was Only the Lonely nicotiana, a rare and remarkable flower.
A member of the tobacco family, Only the Lonely grows a full five feet tall and serves as a striking background to any flower garden. A cluster of pure white blooms adorns the top of each plant.
The foliage itself is fascinating as the 12-inch-long, broad leaves are rich green with contrasting light-green veins.
Woodland tobacco (Nicotiana sylvestris) was brought to New England from Argentina in 1899. It quickly became a favorite flower in Victorian and cottage gardens.
Nicotiana has a reputation for being one of the most fragrant annuals. The blooms of Only the Lonely have a lovely, jasmine-like scent at night. This makes it a wonderful plant to grow near a doorway, along a walkway or under a bedroom window.
Only the Lonely is much more fragrant than the dwarf nicotiana varieties sold at garden centers today. Anyone who says modern dwarf nicotianas are fragrant is sniffing with their imaginations more than their noses.
The biggest shortcoming of Only the Lonely nicotiana is that it may lean if exposed to high winds. Situating your plants in a sheltered place or staking the plants will remedy this. Another possible concern is the plant is toxic to children and pets.
The only major pest to this plant is tobacco hornworm, a most fascinating pest. Hornworms are giant, green caterpillars with scary eyeball-looking markings and a distinct horn on their ends. I easily control these pests by picking them off the plants and stepping on them.
Only the Lonely seeds are available from numerous seed companies. Go online and search for your seeds on Google.
Start the seeds indoors just as you do with tomatoes. Set your transplants in a sunny spot after the danger of frost is over. The easy-to-grow plants are attractive to pollinators and resistant to rabbits and deer.
I invite you to add Only the Lonely to your garden next spring. You will be delighted.
Lastly, be prepared for everyone in your neighborhood to ask you, "What is that?"
