Q: Here is a picture of a new plant sprouting up in my yard. Is it a weed or something nice? Will it grow tall? Leave it or yank it? Thanks.
A: It is called tree tobacco (Nicotiana glauca). Tree tobacco is a slender, erect, straggling shrub or small tree growing 6 to 20 feet tall. Tree tobacco produces sprays of nodding, tubular bright yellow flowers and is a prolific seed producer. Opinions differ on its status as a weed or ornamental. It is a bit stinky and the plant parts are toxic to animals like some other plants in the Solanaceae plant family so you should keep children and pets away from it. I have a friend that likes the yellow flowers they produce and keeps it around for that reason.
Peter L. Warren is the urban horticulture agent for the Pima County Cooperative Extension and the University of Arizona. Questions may be emailed to plwarren@cals.arizona.edu.
