Flowering or jasmine tobacco is an old-fashioned favorite for the annual garden, with showy flowers that continue to bloom until a heavy frost. ‘Perfume Deep Purple’, a 2006 All-America Selection, produces an abundance of rich, deep red-violet flowers and is very fragrant, especially on still evenings. Nicotiana alata is one of more than 60 species of annuals and perennials in the nightshade family, most of which are native to South America. The flowers of this species have long tubes that open into five lobes and are favored by hummingbirds and large moths. The long, floppy basal leaves are soft and sticky to the touch, and are mildly toxic, so hands should be washed after handling them. It prefers full sun or light shade and is tolerant of heat as long as it is kept well-watered.