Nicotiana clevelandii
Cleveland's tobacco
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Family: Solanaceae · Type: Herb · Native
Nicotiana clevelandii (Cleveland's tobacco) is a native California herb in the Solanaceae family, recognized by coastal/desert habitat and distinctive rough stems.
Cleveland's tobacco is a California native annual found in southern California, the Channel Islands, and southern desert regions in sandy washes, dunes, sea cliffs, and desert scrub at elevations below 500 meters. Flowering from March to June, this plant produces greenish white or purple-tinged flowers with a star-shaped, pentagonal corolla limb 6 to 8 millimeters in diameter. Growing 20 to 60 centimeters tall with slender, glandular-hairy stems that have persistent hair bases, it develops a rough texture. Its leaves vary from elliptic to lanceolate, with basal and lower stem leaves having petioles and upper leaves becoming progressively narrower and sessile. The plant produces small fruits 4 to 6 millimeters long with tiny seeds barely half a millimeter in size.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 5 sympatric species; key features are coastal/desert habitat and distinctive rough stems
Habitat and range
Habitat: Sandy washes, dunes, sea cliffs, desert scrub
Elevation: < 500 m
California counties: Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Imperial
Outside California: Arizona, northwestern Mexico
Bloom period
Nicotiana clevelandii blooms Mar-Jun.
How to tell it apart
vs Mirabilis: Nicotiana has tubular flowers with visible petals; Mirabilis has petal-like sepals with no true petals.; vs Oxalis: Nicotiana has tubular nightshade flowers; Oxalis has clover-like leaves and 5-petaled flowers.; vs Phytolacca: Nicotiana has tubular flowers in terminal clusters; Phytolacca has tiny flowers in drooping spikes and purple berries.; vs Solanum: Nicotiana has flowers in branched terminal clusters; Solanum has flowers with prominent yellow anther cone.; vs Encelia: Nicotiana has tubular nightshade flowers; Encelia has yellow daisy-like composite flowers.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nicotiana clevelandii native to California?
Yes. Nicotiana clevelandii is native to California (recorded as native).
When does Nicotiana clevelandii bloom?
Nicotiana clevelandii blooms Mar-Jun.
Where in California does Nicotiana clevelandii grow?
Nicotiana clevelandii occurs in Orange, Riverside, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Ventura, Imperial, at elevations of < 500 m.
What plant family does Nicotiana clevelandii belong to?
Nicotiana clevelandii is in the Solanaceae family, genus Nicotiana.
What habitat does Nicotiana clevelandii grow in?
Nicotiana clevelandii grows in Sandy washes, dunes, sea cliffs, desert scrub.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.