Many thanks to Dale Hameister (Dale Hameister@Flickr) for contributing today's image (original photograph | BPotD Flickr Group Pool). Much appreciated!
The highly poisonous tree tobacco is native to Bolivia and Argentina, but it has naturalized elsewhere, including Hawaii, southern USA and the Mediterranean. Cal Lemke's Plant of the Week highlighted Nicotiana glauca 6.5 (!) years ago, so do visit PotW for more info.
On another topic, I mentioned the Festival of the Trees blog carnival a few weeks ago. I submitted this BPotD entry on Thuja plicata for yesterday's festival, and it made it in. Go check it out: Festival of the Trees 6 at Arboreality. Be warned: there are a lot of fine links in this edition, and you'll find your weekend slipping away.
I grew up on the coast in northern San Diego County, and this plant is part of my childhood. I was taught that it was highly toxic, and that it was native to the area. Eventually learned it was really just one of many non-native, but naturalized, plants in the region.
By the way, I've stopped at Simpson Park (no relation), near Hemet, while heading up to the San Jacinto wilderness are (I highly recommend the hike to the peak via the Devil's Slide trail).
Nicotiana glauca - Z10-11 - A-Z Encyclopedia of Garden Plants, Brickell, Cole, Zuk
I HATE this weed! They are UGLY. You people are like fashion photographers-- you make ugly things look beautiful.
Things can be both beautiful and ugly at the same time.
I have this plant bought from Tom hart Dykes Work garden in Kent Englan, now growing well and flowering in my garden in Trevone in Cornwall England.
I am hoping to propagate from seed this year.
it has been admired by many, and has survived the salty winds and mild winters here.
Half these sites say tree tobacco is toxic and the rest sell it to be smoked.
If it was bad for us it would be illegal right??
haha yeah right