The Three sections of leaves and parts of the tobacco plant

[Michibacy]

I've done research on it, I'll post what I believe is true, chime in on your opinion on these sections as well please.



Volado (bottom) tend to be light burning, mild and lower quality.
Seco (middle) tend to be well burning, a bit more punch than the lower leaves and of higher quality, are larger, thicker and have more sunline (best for filler)
Ligero (top) well burning, smallest, highest nicotine content and high quality
Oots (Crown) The top most leaves, medium burn characteristics, highly valuable
(size of leaves approx. I am not the best artist!)


michibacy

 

[deluxestogie]

That's a curious blending of Turkish and Spanish terminology.

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

Feel free to correct instruct even make fun of, I'm asking for straight facts on the terminology...so let me beg...PLEASE CORRECT IT...!!!

 

[Chicken]

im sure big bonner, could shed some light on the different primings,

in english the 3 different stages, are called primings,

 

[Jitterbugdude]

That's pretty much the correct terminology with the exception of "oots". The Volado, Seco and Ligero are Spanish terms whereas Oots is Turkish. It is the correct word but only when referring to the very tops of Turkish tobacco. I noticed that typically, cigar smokers/growers will use the Volado etc terminology but US Tobacco growers (for cigarettes) will refer to the lower leaves (Volado) as 1st priming Seco as 2nd priming etc. I myself use a much more sophisticated terminology. I call the lower leaves.. "lower", the middle leaves "middle" etc

ps.. is it just a coincidence that the very bottom of the plant rhymes with the very top?... ROOTS-OOTS

 

[Michibacy]

I laughed at that too, long day at work, stupid sense of humor.

I may remove the oots then, or label this as the Michibacy Leaf Classification

 

[deluxestogie]

Although I prefer a question rather than a challenge to correct an assertion, that's just a philosophical preference. The answer is the same. It depends.

from: Constantinides, C.L. Turkish Tobacco: A Manual for Planters, Dealers and Manufacturers. W.J. Rounce, London. 1912.

• Primordial leaves correspond to the seed-leaves and those lost in the seedbed.
• Mañanitas, are the leaves that due to their reduced size and for being near the soil, are not collected, however in shade grown tobacco they are collected in order to ventilate and to clean up the plantation.
• Libre de pie, they are the first commercial leaves of the plant, they are collected in number of two or three and the process is carried out 45 or 50 days after the sowing.
• Uno y medio, are the leaves that are collected after the previous ones. Around two leaves are collected per plant and it is verified between 50 and 52 days after having planted tobacco.
• Centro ligero, are the leaves located in the central basal area, and they are classified as high quality, two or four leaves are collected, it is verified between 58 and 62 days after the sowing.
• Centro fino, these leaves are in the central part of the plant and they are classified as those of the highest quality, they are collected between two and four leaves, it is carried out between 68 and 72 days after having planted tobacco.
• Centro gordo, are the leaves located in the superior area of the plant, thick, dark, with great development of the nerviations and with very high contents of oils and resins, the number of leaves to collect is of two although there are peasants that in this moment collect all the healthy leaves of the plant, this work is done between 73 and 75 days after having planted tobacco.
• Corona, this name is due to the crown of the kings, this two leaves are the last two leaves developed in the stem of the plant of tobacco and with the harvesting of the them is crowned the effort and sacrifice of the growers when producing the aromatic leaf that after the harvest will become the king of kings that is our genuine Habano. This operation is carried out between 75 and 80 days after having planted tobacco.

http://www.cuba-junky.com/cuba/cigar-harvest-stringing.htm

Different varieties grown in the US tobacco regions utilize differing naming convention for the leaf levels on the stalk, depending on variety, region and tradition. This also depends on the expected number of identifiable positions. There may be three, four or more positions.

(KY TN Tobacco Growing Guide for 2011-2012.)

Starting from the bottom and progressing to the top of the stalk these may be:

1. sand lugs (mud lugs)
2. lugs
3. leaf
4. tips

1. flyers and trash
2. lugs
3. leaf
4. tips

1. lugs
2. seconds
3. leaf

My own categorization for all varieties is simply:

1. mud lugs (I don't have sand) ~bottom 1/6 of stalk
2. lugs ~next 1/3 of stalk
3. leaf ~next 1/3 of stalk
4. tips ~top 1/6 of stalk

These would generally equate in common Spanish terminology with:

1. volado (roughly meaning "flyers")
2. seco (meaning "dry")
3. ligero (meaning "light-weight")
4. usually no "tip" grade

So, divide them however you like, but do separate your leaf into at least 3 or 4 position grades. While the characteristics of one position are merely the average of an arbitrary zone along a continuum, you can easily see and taste the difference from one group to the next, once the leaf is finished.

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

I apologize Bob, it's been one of those days up here in MI (my can of chew must be too old, plus my bank is being prickish) I appreciate all the information you provided, helps out amazingly!

 

[Grundle]

I love the info from cuba-junky, that was very informative. I prefer the spanish renderings, since I have spent so much time abroad. Next time I go to Peru with my wife I am going to be looking for some wild Andean tobacco.

 

[Michibacy]

Forgive me if I sound stupid asking this Grundle, what is Cuba Junky?

 

[Grundle]

Forgive me if I sound stupid asking this Grundle, what is Cuba Junky?

It is the web-site that Bob was quoting from that gives the different harvest times for the respective leaf.

 

[deluxestogie]

The link has been posted by me, FmGrowit and others in several threads. It's an extensive and interesting read.

http://www.cuba-junky.com/cuba/cigar.html

Bob

 

[Michibacy]

Slow day at work = time to read some articles, thanks guys!