Nicotiana attenuata

An annual plant growing up to up to 3 feet tall in ideal conditions. Coyote nicotiana offers a prolific display of long, tubular white flowers and will bloom continuously throughout the summer if provided with regular water. It tolerates long periods of hot and arid conditions provided it has some soil moisture.

This species ranges from British Columbia to Mexico in the western United States and lives in diverse habitats typically in drier and more open areas. As a disturbance species, we have see it springing up in large swaths were wildfires have been.

Hawkmoths and hummingbirds are its main pollinators. Coyote nicotiana has a fascinating relationship with two hawkmoth species; Carolina sphinx moth and the five-spotted hawkmoth, both of which pollinate the flowers at night while they drink nectar and lay their eggs on the plant.

When the plant cells detect the saliva of the hawkmoth caterpillars as they eat the leaves, the plant tissues set off a chemical cascade that shifts the bloom of the flowers to daytime when they will be pollinated by hummingbirds. This helps the plant to avoid attracting more hawkmoths and future consumption

This revered plant has a long history of relationship with many indigenous peoples of western North America, especially in ritual and medicine traditions.

These plants transplant well from starts and can also be direct sown mid to late spring.

Though very adaptable to wide-ranging conditions, coyote nicotiana, like most nicotianas, respond well to a side dressing with compost after they have taken root and started to grow to enhance lushness and profuse blooming.

Packet: 200 seeds