Tobacco hunting

[FmGrowit]

This forum is as good as any for this, so...here goes.

The other day, I was exiting the freeway. There was a traffic light at the end of the ramp and traffic was a little backed up. While making a left turn, I notices a weed on the edge of the road with yellow trumpet shaped flowers. Not having time or any place to stop and investigate, I just kept going.

Has anyone every gone wild tobacco hunting? My guess is, this is the time of year to do it.

 

[SmokesAhoy]

ive never done it but it sounds fun. might find a real gem like that

 

[BarG]

I'm still trying to Learn to identify any wild tobacco that grows in my part of the country and have not seen any in the wild.

Edit;My retired neighbor grew up in west texas and smoked something called rabbit tobacco as a kid.

 

[Steve2md]

interesting subject. I'll have to look into it for my area. I'd just be concerned about getting the wrong kind of night shade..........

 

[Steve2md]

this is what I found in the last ten seconds

http://www.delange.org/TobaccoDesert/TobaccoDesert.htm

http://www.delange.org/TobaccoTree/TobaccoTree.htm

http://www.fireflyforest.com/flowers/1705/nicotiana-glauca-tree-tobacco/

http://www.codylundin.com/wordpress/august-medicinal-herb-tip-wild-tobacco/

http://plants.usda.gov/java/profile?symbol=NIAT (this is the only one in my state that I can find that has been historically smoked as a substitute for commercial tobacco)

 

[Tom_in_TN]

I keep an eye out for certain plants in my area (mostly asparagus, apples and mullein) but have never seen anything like tobacco.

 

[Steve2md]

we get mullein up north, what are the common uses for it? (other than "cowboy toilet paper..." lol)

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Mullein has been used as an expectorant, in other words it was used to help cleanse your body (nose or throat) of mucus if you had a sinus infection (common cold).

It is called for in recipes to make chewing tobacco.

 

[Steve2md]

interesting. Thanks. Guess I have some more reading to do

 

[jeapadrenaline]

Mullein is also used mixed with willow bark to smoke in a pipe instead of tobacco. People who have astmah and still want to smoke, smoking mullein will to a large extent relieve the symptoms. Also mixing mullein in with tobacco is used as an aid to quit smoking, just slowly increase the % of mullein. It helps somehow to cut down the cravings forr nicotine.
mullein actually doesn't taste or smell as bad as one would think.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

Thanks for adding that information.

 

[Jitterbugdude]

Whe I first moved to my present property about 20 years ago the old local guy came over and pointed out to me that "all those plants over there are wild tobacco". I thought that was pretty cool until a few years later when I started growing tobacco that it was actually Mullein.

But to answer the original question, no I don't hunt for wild tobacco but I do drive through Amish land twice a week and ALWAYS slow the car down to study the acres and acres of tobacco I see.

 

[BarG]

SkyChaser,
I spent all my money on beer and hunting gear, And the rest I just wasted.

Randy, what is the name for muillen,[latin] I'm wonderining if its what they call rabbit tobacco here.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

I found a name for Mullein, Verbascum thapsus. Looks Latin to me.....

 

[BarG]

That absolutely looks tobacco to me. I'd probably be crazy enough to test it. In my youth.

 

[Tom_in_TN]

From what I've read it is perfectly smokable. In fact some herbalist sell it to folks who are trying to quit smoking tobacco. They claim by increasing the mullein amount and decreasing the tobacco it helps to slowly break the nicotine addiction. Crazy.

I have a little drying out now. Gotta try it out and see what happens.

 

[BarG]

Thats the last thing I want to try if it might make me want to quit.

 

[johnlee1933]

From what I've read it is perfectly smokable. In fact some herbalist sell it to folks who are trying to quit smoking tobacco. They claim by increasing the mullein amount and decreasing the tobacco it helps to slowly break the nicotine addiction. Crazy.

I have a little drying out now. Gotta try it out and see what happens.

I'd kinda like to hear how that works out.

John

 

[Michibacy]

I can attest to it not tasting too bad. I tried it (not to quit smoking, back in my younger years when tobacco was hard to come by) Not really a hit, just a nice breezy feeling in the lungs.

 

[Steve2md]

yup. think "Marlboro ultra light" it smokes ok, really good when you have a cold. It makes your coughs more productive, and then, lessens the cough when there is no more mucus to get rid of.