Six Fun Facts About the Tobacco Plant
A tobacco plant produces between 20 and 30 leaves, and even more if buds are not removed. They are not all usable. According to the process in the field, mainly if the tobacco plants are topped or not, the grower is going to pick between 10 and 16 leaves.
A FEW FEET
If not topped, the most common grown tobacco plants can grow up to 8 or 9 feet. When shade grown and irrigated, the development is fast and the stalk is weak. Each plant has to be propped up to keep it straight up. On the contrary, some oriental types with very small leaves do not grow over 3 feet. THE HIGHER YOU GETWhen going up from the foot to the tip of a tobacco plant, leaves become darker, thicker and fuller. Therefore, to know the origin of the tobacco is not enough to guess how the cigar is going to taste. The stalk positions of the leaves are essential to the taste!
MISTAKEN IDENTITY
The tobacco plant belongs to the family of Solanacees (same as potatoes and tomatoes), and to the genus of Nicotiana. Grown tobaccos for smoking products are classified in the subgenus Nicotiana Tabacum, species Nicotiana Tabacum L. But after decades of gene tampering and uncontrolled hybridations, it is impossible to know exactly what is what! After much research conducted during the 20th century, it seems that all grown tobaccos are coming from 4 original subspecies : Havanensis, Brasiliensis, Virginica and Purpurea.
NOT ONLY FOR SMOKING
Besides the well known uses of tobacco such as using for snuff, smoking, or chewing, there are other uses as well. Some types are used as decorative plants (Petunias). Nicotine extracts are used in pharmacology and perfumery. Nicotine was also used to fatten pigs! Tobacco plants are often used in genetical and botanical fundamental research because it is a fast growing plant allowing several generations per year.
19 customer comments
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A Neptune User · 09/19/2024Great info. Thanks
A Neptune User · 10/22/2023gg
A Neptune User · 02/22/2021excellna an sharp info!!!THX
A Neptune User · 02/08/2020it was enh
A Neptune User · 01/11/2020Great information for my science project
A Neptune User · 12/07/2019Very informative
A Neptune User · 12/03/2019Thank you ... informative and useful.
A Neptune User · 06/18/2018Thank you for the useful, detailed and thorough information!
A Neptune User · 06/13/2018sadd
A Neptune User · 02/15/2018It help me in my science project today
A Neptune User · 11/07/2017Most interesting article, but then, I know little to nothing about the plant!
A Neptune User · 09/24/2017It to me is amazing how industries and medical researchers have chosen tobacco (which is legal in every country) as the number one cause of all terminal illnesses. They chose not to lodge their opinions by brainwashing the population on other substances because there's big money in alcohol and they make their money on drugs that they prescribe and make their living on the profits. After all these many years and the billions of dollars spent on research why can't they find a cure for all these cancerous deseases they say are from tobacco ? I smell a copout. Not a drinker. Not even recreational drugs as they're calling them now. Really really really have you thought about how many people have been brainwashed by these money making conglomerates? From a smoker who lives to be 100 and still enjoy a cigarette, wright my own obituary, and still have one of my family take a picture of me giving all of them the finger.
A Neptune User · 03/24/2017Extremely helpful. Used this awesome website for my SS project.
A Neptune User · 03/16/2017Helpful
A Neptune User · 02/17/2017Good Information!!
A Neptune User · 12/18/2016cool!!! cool website!!!
A Neptune User · 10/06/2016good website
A Neptune User · 09/30/2016Nicely done!
A Neptune User · 01/11/2016