Navigate Namibia-03
Navigate Namibia-03
  • Namibia
    • Overview
    • Language
    • History
    • Books
    • T's & C's
    • Links
  • Travel
    • Travel Advice
    • Tours
    • Lodges
    • Car Rental
    • Self-Drive
    • Getting There
    • Travel Insurance
  • Nature
  • Parks
    • All
    • Northern Namibia
    • Southern Namibia
    • Western Namibia
    • Central Namibia
    • Eastern Namibia
    • Communal Conservancies in Namibia
  • News

Wild tobacco

Wild Tobacco was originally brought to Namibia by missionaries.

Wild tobacco

This particular plant is worth a mention as it is a Wild Tobacco plant, a native of Argentina incidentally, and is widespread throughout the warmer regions of the world. Originally brought to Namibia as an ornamental by missionaries, it is now mainly a weed of waste places and river banks, and also in areas densely populated with hundreds of small trees. Lepidopterists and ornithologists can note that the Marico sunbird and a variety of butterflies are attracted to its light-yellow flowers, but to all other animals, the plant and especially the seeds are highly toxic.

For those who fancy a puff, wild tobacco is closely related to ordinary commercial tobacco, but has little value on the tobacco auction floors. As it is used as a rat poison in Italy, it's best not to roll your own!

Gondwana Collection Namibia (Pty) Ltd t/a Gondwana Travel Centre

2nd floor, Ardeco Building, Nelson Mandela Avenue (entrance Bassingthwaighte St.)
Klein Windhoek
Contacts
info@namibian.org
Copyright © 2025.  Gondwana Collection Namibia (Pty) Ltd t/a Gondwana Travel Centre 1998-2025