annual flower
Langsdorff flowering tobacco
A favorite annual for hummingbirds and dusk-active pollinators.
Growing Profile
- Hardiness
- Zones 3a-10a
- Sun
- FullPartial
- Soil
- Loam
- Water
- Medium
- Deer pressure
- Not rated No deer-resistance category is assigned yet; treat browsing risk as local and variable.
- Black walnut
- Mixed or uncertain Use as a black walnut / juglone planning cue; tolerance varies by cultivar, soil, and distance from the tree.
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Goals
- Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & color
Harvest & Use
- Window
- green bell flowers all summer
- Output
- 8-18 weeks of bloom/year
- First output
- 55-90 days
- Best for
- Pollinators & wildlifeCurb appeal & color
Timing: green bell flowers all summer. This profile tracks 8-18 weeks of bloom/year with a harvest or display window of 10-18 weeks where defensible.
Plant photos
What it looks like in the garden
Use these photos to compare the plant's leaves, stems, flowers, fruit, and overall habit before you buy or plant.
Photos show a representative plant in the garden. Fruit color, size, and growth habit can vary by cultivar, season, nursery stock, and site.
Photo sources: Karelj / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 3.0)
Quantitative Profile
- Full output
- This season
- Mature size
- 1-4 ft H x 1-3 ft W
- Spacing
- 1-2 ft apart
- Planting depth
- Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container min
- 2+ gal (good)
- Productive life
- 1 yrs
- Difficulty
- 1/5
- Reliability
- 4/5
- Data quality
- Medium profile, No pound-yield source
Pound return is the stock-style yield metric. These are planning ranges for comparing plants, not guarantees. Cultivar, rootstock, climate, soil, pruning, pest pressure, and wildlife can move actual results.
Planting Checklist
8 itemsPlant by ZIP may earn a commission from qualifying purchases through checklist links.
- View
Right-size container with drainage
Containers / Before plantingUse a container large enough for mature roots, with open drainage holes to prevent root rot.
- View
Expanding container potting mix
Containers / Before plantingUse a lighter container medium instead of dense garden soil in pots and grow bags.
- View
Seed-starting trays
Propagation / Pre-seasonStart annual vegetables, herbs, and flowers ahead of transplant season.
- View
Seedling grow light
Propagation / Pre-seasonKeep indoor seedlings compact and sturdy before they move outside.
- View
Balanced garden fertilizer
Nutrition / During growthFeed annual vegetables, herbs, flowers, and hungry container crops according to soil or label guidance.
- View
Soil thermometer
Timing / Before plantingCheck whether spring soil is actually warm enough for direct sowing, transplanting, and tender warm-season crops.
- View
Hand trowel
Tools / Planting dayPlant starts, herbs, flowers, bulbs, and smaller container plants at the right depth.
- View
Plant labels
Planning / Planting dayTrack cultivar, planting date, and variety when comparing harvests or pollination partners.
Planting Strategy
- Planting depth: Set the crown at the same level it grew in the nursery pot.
- Container minimum: 2+ gal (good). Use 2+ gal per plant, or wider mixed containers with similar water needs.
- Start with one plant when testing fit in a new bed or container.
Risk Factors
- Match the site first: full, partial light, loam soil, and medium water.
- Use 1-2 ft apart as the first spacing model; adjust for hedges, trellises, containers, or local guidance.
- Plan around mature size: 1-4 ft H x 1-3 ft W.
- Plan pollination or companion context before planting; nearby varieties can matter for fruit set.
- Local drainage, pests, chill hours, wildlife pressure, and microclimates can change the result.
Related Planning Guides
Comparable Plants
Sources & Methodology
This guide combines hardiness range, light, soil, water, harvest timing, traits, supplier links, plant relationships, and quantitative planning metrics. Pairings are screened for practical garden fit.
Quantitative values use extension and botanical-reference ranges where available. For less-studied cultivars, similar crops fill gaps conservatively. Ranges are intentionally broad so the profile stays useful without pretending to be exact.
Planning sources: NC State Extension Gardener Plant ToolboxK-State Extension Master Gardener Handbook - Herbaceous PlantsUniversity of Maryland Extension - Types of Containers for Growing VegetablesIllinois Extension - Growing Vegetables in ContainersPenn State Extension - Landscaping and Gardening Around Walnuts and Other Juglone Producing Plants
Supplier search: Amazon. Search links are not paid placements unless explicitly marked; affiliate listings may earn a commission. Last reviewed: 2026-05-31.