Midewiwan Mapacho (Nicotiana rustica)

Midewiwan Mapacho (Nicotiana rustica)

Nicotiana rustica is the scientific name for the plant commonly known as Midewiwan Mapacho, Sacred Tobacco, Aztec Tobacco, or Shamanic Tobacco. It is an annual that is not tolerant of shade but can grow in any well drained soil from clay to loam to sandy. Because of its natural qualities it is exceptionally deer and rabbit resistant.

This plant has held a significant and revered place in indigenous cultures for thousands of years, regarded as deeply important and sacred to the First Peoples of both North and South America. Although it is technically native to the rainforests of South America, archaeological evidence shows that N. rustica seeds were carried northward into North America as early as 5,500 years ago. These seeds have been found in association with the Mound Builders of the Laurentian, Ouachita, and Plano Cultures, demonstrating the long-standing cultural and spiritual significance of this plant across a wide geographic range.

Many native pollinators of North America have since adapted to utilize the flowers of N. rustica like Hummingbirds and generalist butterflies but also bees such as the Augochlorella aurata, Lasioglossum perpunctatum, Bombus impatiens, Lasioglossum tegulare, Augochlora pura, Lasioglossum michiganense, Lasioglossum versans, Bombus vagans, Halictus ligatus, Lasioglossum oblongum, Halictus rubicundus, Megachile frigida, and Sphecodes heraclei.

Nicotiana rustica also serves as a larval host plant for a member of the Looper Moth family, Chrysodeixis includens.

Plant Details:

USDA Zones: 3 - 9

Germination Needs: No Stratification Needed. Seeds are tiny or need light to germinate, surface sow and bottom water for best results, or direct sow in late spring.

Life Cycle: Annual

Sun Exposure: Full to Partial

Soil Moisture: Medium, Medium-Dry

Plant Spacing: 8 - 18 inches

Height: 2 feet

Bloom time: July, August, September

Bloom Color: Yellow

Advantages:

Pollinator Favorite: butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, beetles

Bird Favorite: seeds, insects, fruit, nectar, nesting, perches.

Deer Resistant: Yes

Native to: South America, but naturalized in North America by First Nations People

Seed Count: 25+

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Packet quantities:

We pride ourselves on ethical, hands on, ecological management, using no mechanical or chemical methods whatsoever.

All of our native seed is hand reared, hand-picked, and hand packed from native prairies under our exclusive management, never breaking chain of custody from the field until it is sent to you. Each packet is hand prepared for shipment by us, directly.

Small seed species will contain greater than 20-25 seed

Large seed species will contain greater than 10-15 seed

All packets are individually marked at the bottom of the front label with expected count, however most if not all packets will have many more than the minimum count by default.

It is our mission to spread the wealth of native plant and pollinator ecological sustainability and educate back yard gardeners as well as corporate and government entities in how to germinate, grow, and benefit from native synergies.

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