KESSU SEEDS

Nicotiana rustica

A selection of Nicotiana rustica from Finland. Easily grown in northern gardens. Adaptable to diverse soil types. Grows to just 2'-3' in bloom. Soft fleshy leaves and lovely little yellow flowers. Suitable for containers.

Erroneously thought to be “wild" based on the species epithet, Nicotiana rustica is actually an ancient hybrid cultigen. It is so ancient that there is no evidence nor consensus as to the time and place of its origin.* It is fair to say, based on anthropological and archaeological data, that in the two thousand years prior to European conquest this particular tobacco was indigenous only to the eastern half of North America, where it was cultivated in gardens alongside maize, squash, and beans. There is no record of it having been grown anywhere else in the Americas prior to its commodification in the 16th century. That does not mean that it wasn't, only that it must have happened in an epoch so distant as to have left no discernable trace. The hallucinogenic Aztec tobacco of lore, picietl, was probably not N. rustica. Picietl means, literally, “little perfume". Notably, N. rustica has no fragrance. And there are many species of fragrant tobacco indigenous to Mesoamerica.

The relationship between Native Americans and tobacco is profoundly sacred, and has been for much longer than historians would have us believe. As an example of this intrinsic reverence among now disparate peoples, a common name for tobacco in both pre-Columbian and contemporary Mexico is “yetl", which is the name of an ancient creator deity mythologized by tribes of the Pacific Northwest (whose tobacco is Nicotiana quadrivalvis), and a probable precursor to quetzalcoatl. In other words, tobacco is as sacred as creation itself. Many, if not most, of the dozens of species of tobacco in the Americas had been used for medicinal, recreational and ceremonial purposes for thousands of years. Only in our modern era do we favor just a few select species and project their exclusive use onto past civilizations.

Ancient breeders of N. rustica were likely selecting for the alkaloid nicotine. N. rustica contains up to ten times the nicotine of other Nicotiana species, including N. tabacum. The motivation for its initial cultivation is lost to time, but it is prudent to speculate that this species may have been utilized for more than just intoxication. Any civilisation with botanists skilled enough to have bred this species were likely engaged in agriculture, and nicotine is a powerful insecticide. In its purified state, it is also a valuable pharmaceutical. Nonetheless, N. rustica appears to have been grown by Woodland period peoples primarily for use as a recreational and ceremonial smokable. The distribution of this species closely coincides with the distribution of truly remarkable stone and clay effigy pipes unique to the cultures of eastern North America.

As a smokable, Kessu is very harsh, especially in comparison to well-cured selections of N. tabacum. In Finland N. rustica is called palturitupakka, which roughly translates to “crap tobacco". Traditionally, the dried green leaves of this species were pulverized and packed into cakes, and may have been smoked in combination with other North American botanicals, including Arctostaphylos uva-ursi and the red autumn leaves of Rhus glabra. The charm of this plant is such that it need not be grown for any other reason than to admire its beauty and historical significance. Growers wishing to utilize this species for purposes beyond the aesthetic are advised to familarize themselves with the symptoms of nicotine poisoning.

Start seeds indoors with the tomatoes. Press tiny seeds into moist soil, mist carefully, and cover with plastic to maintain moisture and temperature. Kept warm (around 80°F) and moist in bright light, seeds typically germinate within two or three weeks. Cooler temperatures will delay germination. Once seedlings have true leaves, prick out and tuck into individual 6" pots to grow on at warm room temperature in bright light. Harden off thoroughly before transplanting into warm garden soil in full sun after all danger of frost has passed.

Packet contains at least 100 seeds.

*Per the most commonly referenced literature, N. rustica is “presumed" to be from Peru, only because the “presumed" progenitors are “presumed" to be from Peru. The only extant progenitor of N. rustica is N. undulata, an obscure species that is indigenous to Australia. Put that in your pipe and smoke it.