Flower profile
Tree tobacco
Nicotiana glauca
Tree tobacco is a flowering plant that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in February–December.
*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.
On our lists for: Arizona, California
Quick look
Nicotiana glauca is a species of flowering plant in the tobacco genus Nicotiana of the nightshade family Solanaceae. It is known by the common name tree tobacco. Its leaves are attached to the stalk by petioles, and its leaves and stems are neither pubescent nor sticky like Nicotiana tabacum. It resembles Cestrum parqui but differs in the form of leaves and fusion of the outer floral parts.
- It belongs to the Solanaceae family. iNaturalist
- USDA PLANTS describes it as a shrub / a tree with a perennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
- USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 12 states. USDA PLANTS
- NatureServe lists it as not native to California and Arizona. NatureServe
- In California, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in February–December. iNaturalist
- In Arizona, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in March–December. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 17,895 research-grade sightings of it in California, ranking #28 among the 110 flowers on our California list. iNaturalist
- iNaturalist has 1,143 research-grade sightings of it in Arizona, ranking #91 among the 109 flowers on our Arizona list. iNaturalist
Tree tobacco gift ideas
Handmade tree tobacco gifts from independent makers.
🌱 Sample spot. Handmade gift picks from independent shops will appear here once our shop partnership is approved. These cards are placeholders, not real products.
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Tree tobacco art print
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Tree tobacco greeting card
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Tree tobacco mug
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Tree tobacco earrings
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Tree tobacco embroidery pattern
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Tree tobacco sticker
When does it bloom?
Bloom time in each of our 2 states
| State | Type | Peak bloom | Sightings* |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | Introduced | February–December | 17,895 |
| Arizona | Introduced | March–December | 1,143 |
Conservation status
- Federal (U.S. ESA)
- Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
- NatureServe global
- GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
- California
- Not listed Not on California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in California. CNDDB listed plants (July 2026)
- Arizona
- Not listed Not on Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Arizona. AAC R3-3 App. A
- Rare elsewhere
- No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.
Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.
Can you eat it?
NC State Extension lists it as poisonous to humans (severity: high). Poisonous parts: flowers, leaves. Symptoms they list: “HIGHLY TOXIC, MAY BE FATAL IF EATEN! Vomiting, diarrhea, slow pulse, dizziness, collapse, paralysis, depression, death, and respiratory failure can occur if eaten.” They also note: “All parts of the plant are poisonous” NC State Extension
ASPCA's entry “Nicotiana” (Nicotiana glauca) lists it as toxic to dogs, cats and horses. Signs include: Hyperexcitability then depression, vomiting, incoordination, paralysis, death is… ASPCA
🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.
Where does it grow?
USDA PLANTS records tree tobacco in 12 states.
recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded
See the full list of states
Alabama, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New Mexico, Ohio, Texas.
California counties with USDA records: Alameda, Butte, Colusa, Contra Costa, Fresno, Glenn, Imperial, Kern, Los Angeles, Marin, Mariposa, Mendocino, Monterey, Napa, Orange, Riverside, Sacramento, San Benito, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Francisco, San Joaquin, San Luis Obispo, San Mateo, Santa Barbara, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, Solano, Sonoma, Stanislaus, Ventura, Yolo.
Arizona counties with USDA records: Cochise, Coconino, Gila, Greenlee, La Paz, Maricopa, Mohave, Pima, Pinal, Yavapai, Yuma.
More California flowers
Sources
- USDA, NRCS. PLANTS Database, profile NIGL.
- iNaturalist, Nicotiana glauca: taxonomy, research-grade observation counts and “Flowering” annotations, retrieved October 17, 2026.
- Wikipedia, Nicotiana glauca (lead quoted under CC BY-SA 4.0).
- California: California state-listed endangered, threatened and rare plants (14 CCR § 670.2), per CDFW's CNDDB list (July 2026).
- California: California noxious weed species (3 CCR § 4500).
- Arizona: Arizona Native Plant Law protected plants (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-3 Art. 11, App. A, eff. Feb. 2, 2025).
- Arizona: Arizona prohibited noxious weeds (Ariz. Admin. Code R3-4-245).
- USFWS, ECOS species database (ESA listing check), October 17, 2026.
- NatureServe Explorer, Nicotiana glauca (global and state ranks).
- Edibility and toxicity: NC State Extension; ASPCA.
- Photo: Joseph Rojas via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized.