Tree Tobacco
EntdeckenPflanzen
Tree Tobacco
nicotiana glauca
Tree Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca) is a fast-growing, woody shrub or small tree native to South America that has successfully naturalized in warm, arid regions globally. Characterized by its blue-green, rubbery leaves and clusters of bright yellow, tubular flowers, it is a hardy pioneer species that thrives in disturbed soils, roadsides, and riverbanks. While it belongs to the tobacco family, it is highly toxic to humans and livestock due to the presence of anabasine, an alkaloid closely related to nicotine. Despite its toxicity, Tree Tobacco plays an important ecological role, attracting various pollinators like hummingbirds with its nectar-rich flowers. Its ability to tolerate extreme drought and poor soil makes it an exceptionally resilient plant, though in many areas outside its native range, it is considered an invasive weed that outcompetes native vegetation.
Lebensraum: Found in dry, disturbed habitats such as roadsides, riverbanks, waste areas, and coastal scrub.
Aussehen
This evergreen shrub typically grows between 2 to 6 meters tall, featuring sparse, sprawling branches with a distinct blue-gray or glaucous coating on its smooth, pale bark. Its leaves are thick, rubbery, and ovate, measuring up to 20 cm long with a striking bluish-green hue. The most identifying feature is the terminal clusters of elongated, trumpet-shaped yellow flowers, each about 3 to 5 cm long, which bloom year-round in warm climates and eventually produce small, egg-shaped seed capsules.
ReichPlantaeStammTracheophytaKlasseMagnoliopsidaOrdnungSolanalesFamilieSolanaceaeGattungNicotiana
Kategorie
PflanzenSeltenheit
Common
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Snaps
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Interessante Fakten
Despite its common name and classification under the Nicotiana genus, Tree Tobacco does not contain significant amounts of nicotine; instead, its primary alkaloid is anabasine.
In some native South American cultures, the leaves were historically used in traditional medicine as poultices for wounds and skin conditions.
It is highly toxic to both humans and livestock, and even contact with the leaves can cause skin irritation in sensitive individuals.
The species is exceptionally good at phytoremediation, absorbing heavy metals like zinc and lead from polluted soils.
Besondere Fähigkeiten
Fähigkeit
Toxic Defense System
Produces the highly toxic alkaloid anabasine, which deters most herbivores and pests from feeding on its foliage.
Fähigkeit
Drought Tolerance
Features thick, waxy, glaucous leaves that minimize water loss, allowing the plant to thrive in hyper-arid conditions.
Fähigkeit
Rapid Colonization
Produces thousands of tiny, wind-dispersed seeds that quickly establish in disturbed, nutrient-poor soils.
Maße und Details
- Länge
- 200-600 cm
- Lebenserwartung
- 5-15 Jahre
Ernährung und Fütterung
As an autotrophic plant, Tree Tobacco generates its own food through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Hauptnahrung
- Sunlight
- Water
- Carbon Dioxide
- Soil Minerals
Ökologische Zusammenhänge
mutualism
Anna's Hummingbird
Calypte anna
Feeds on the nectar and acts as a primary pollinator for the tubular flowers.
eaten by
Tomato Hornworm
Manduca quinquemaculata
Feeds on the leaves as a larval host, tolerating the toxic alkaloids.
mutualism
Honey Bee
Apis mellifera
Visits the yellow tubular flowers to forage for nectar and pollen.
Merkmale
Für dieses Objekt sind noch keine Merkmal-Badges vergeben.
Auch bekannt als
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Sicherheit
Gefahr
1/5 · Sehr gering
Noch keine besonderen Sicherheitshinweise.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
Wie identifiziert man Tree Tobacco?
Der einfachste Weg, Tree Tobacco zu bestimmen, ist die Verwendung der Naturführer-App Snappit.
Was ist der/die/das länge von Tree Tobacco?
200-600 cm
Was ist der/die/das lebenserwartung von Tree Tobacco?
5-15 Jahre
Was frisst Tree Tobacco?
As an autotrophic plant, Tree Tobacco generates its own food through photosynthesis, utilizing sunlight, water, and carbon dioxide.
Wo findet man Tree Tobacco normalerweise?
Found in dry, disturbed habitats such as roadsides, riverbanks, waste areas, and coastal scrub.
Snap-Karte
Zoome hinein, um Cluster aufzulösen und zu sehen, wo dieses Objekt fotografiert wurde.
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