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deluxestogie

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Shirazi: a morphological discussion
Garden_20110706_10_Shirazi_300.jpg


Shirazi, classed as an Oriental tobacco, is named for the southwestern Iranian city of Shiraz. Although it has pink blossoms, its leaf shape is unlike any other Oriental that I have seen. A search of the Internet, GRIN, the Nicotiana Project (Doug Moats), and many books yielded almost no information on Shirazi, other than that it was once called Nicotiana persica, and at one time misidentified as the white-blossomed Nicotiana alata. The few photos available provided no useful size or yield information. Since I still (as of this writing) can't say how it cures, and what it tastes/smells like, I'll just discuss its appearance and growth performance.

The following data is my own. It differs significantly from the GRIN data on Shirazi.
Plant form (pyramidal, columnar, inverted cone, other): columnar
Plant length Topped - cm/in: 114 cm / 45 in
Plant length Untopped (to crowfoot) - cm/in: 150 cm / 59 in
Flower color (white, pink, red, other): pink
Flower head habit (closed, intermediate, open): closed
Leaf attachment (sessile, petiolate): sessile
Leaf carriage of midrib (arched, not arched): arched
Leaf color (light green, green, dark green): light green
Leaf margin (wavy, not wavy): not wavy
Leaf angle (upper angle between stalk and 10th leaf) - degrees: 40º
Leaf length (length of 10th leaf from bottom, at maturity) - cm/in: 56 cm / 22 in
Leaf margin (recurved, not recurved): not recurved
Leaf surface (smooth, puckered): smooth
Leaf number topped (exclude 2 bed leaves): 17
Leaf width (width of 10th leaf from bottom, at maturity) - cm/in: 27 cm / 10.5 in
Tip shape (e.g. acute, acuminate, obtuse.): acuminate
Venation pattern (square, angular): angular
Days at maturity (transplant to 50% plants 1 flower): 39

The light green, smooth leaves tend to be long, with moderate width. A unique feature of Shirazi is that the leaf tips tend to naturally cup, forming a distinct beak.
Garden_20110730_02_Shirazi_cupping_300.jpg


The ruffle at the base of the leaf stem almost encircles the stalk, and does not extend downward on the stalk.
Garden_20110716B_12._Sherazi_leafDetail_300.jpg


My source of seed was New Hope. The germination rate was excellent, and the seedlings were quite vigorous, outgrowing my other 15 varieties this season.
Garden_20110614_11_Shirazi_young_120.jpg


The strongest of the seedlings was transplanted into a deep, 15" diameter pot of MiracleGro potting soil nearly one month before the other Shirazi seedlings were transplanted to the ground. As of two weeks ago, the potted Shirazi was only 1/2 the height of the Shirazi in the ground. The stalk of the potted Shirazi is currently about 1/2" thick, compared to 1-1/2" of the in-ground plants. (The ruler in the photos is 48 inches. Several of the plants in the ground are supported by short sticks after a blowdown.)
Garden_20110716_16_Shirazi_Potted_300.jpg
Garden_20110716_01_Shirazi_300.jpg


By comparison to Samsun and Bafra, Shirazi is not as tall, has fewer though larger leaves, and is a lighter green. The Shirazi performed better as a seedling, and grew faster and matured earlier.
Garden_20110730_06_Samsun_Bafra_Shirazi_300.jpg


I'm not sure if Shirazi is still grown in Iran, in light of the recent Islamist proscription of tobacco.

Bob
 

Jack in NB

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Excellent info, Bob.

Compares favourably with mine, from seed sent by John Cole.

BTW, is there a subliminal message intended with your choice of a measuring stick?????

Jack
 

FmGrowit

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Excellent research project. Are the pictures downloaded to the site or a remote location? I should have a proper photo gallery installed be the middle of the week.

Which "Samsun" is that?
 

deluxestogie

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The photos are hosted on one of my remote sites. They will expire when I do, more or less. This allows me to display images at the size and resolution suitable for any particular article.

I'll be posting similar info on any other uncommonly planted varieties in this year's crop. Info on taste and aroma for finished Shirazi is due out next spring.

Jack in NB said:
...subliminal message..?
It's only subliminal if you don't notice it. It's a supraliminal message that: there's no free lunch (or free ruler); you've got to pay the piper; pain is inherent in all pleasure; the true measure of one's life comes after he's six feet under; ten years ago, I wrote some software for a funeral directors association; it's a nice, four foot ruler--at least it's not six feet.

Bob

EDIT: Seed for all varieties that I'm growing this season will be made available to the Fair Trade Tobacco free seed bank in the fall.
 
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FmGrowit

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I suppose I should have asked which "Perique" you're growing before answering the question first, bbut based on the two periques I've grown (both different) my guess is #1.

Kelley Burley is a variety I haven't grown, but based on the many other Burleys I have, the center plant looks most like a Burley. The first plants (on the left) look most like an Oriental, so the third must be Sumatran...just my best guess.
 

istanbulin

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I'm not sure if Shirazi is still grown in Iran, in light of the recent Islamist proscription of tobacco.

Bob

No, Islam doesn't ban smoking directly. Iran has a tobacco monopoly but they also allow global companies (except some countries e.g. USA) to produce and sell their tobaccos in Iran. A few years ago a friend of mine offered me an Iranian cigarette called " Bahman ". It was really look like some of our domestic cigarettes.

As you can see at the link, company sells finished pure tobacco. Good idea. http://www.irtobacco.com/portal/products.html
 

meysam93

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sry for bringing up the old topic just wanted to say that there is no more tobacco monopoly it was removed a few years ago meaning everyone can grow tobacco without authorization
and i rly doubt if shirazi is grown (its not)
 

deluxestogie

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Welcome to the forum, meysam93. I appreciate your update.

I am aware of a number of different tobacco varieties that are identifiable by the specific geographic areas in which they were historically developed, but now exist only in seed banks. As tobacco usage and preferences change, decade by decade--especially the requirements of large producers, tobacco varieties fall out of favor, and eventually disappear from a region.

Bob
 
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