Tobacco Varieties?

[Geegee]

Hi

It’s my first time growing tobacco and I purchased a mixed bag of seeds with unknown varieties. It looks like it’s about time to harvest and not knowing what type I have is one difficulty but the other is I am color blind. I have been using AI to describe the leaf shape etc in order to identify. I know AI hallucinates and talks a lot of misinformation. Can anyone fact check the below.

The Major Tobacco Leaf Shapes (and How to Tell Them Apart)
1. Virginia / Brightleaf

Leaf shape

• Broad, oval to egg‑shaped
• Rounded sides, not very pointed
• Smooth surface with a strong midrib
• Often slightly droopy

Texture
• Sticky/resinous
• Thin to medium thickness

What it looks like
• Soft, wide leaves that feel slightly tacky
• Pale to medium green

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2. Burley
Leaf shape
• Large, long, and more rectangular
• Squarer shoulders
• Less rounded than Virginia

Texture
• Thick, dry, matte surface
• Not sticky

What it looks like
• Big, heavy leaves with a dull finish
• Pale green to yellowish

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3. Shirazi (Iranian)

Leaf shape
• Longer and narrower than Virginia
• More pointed tip
• Less rounded sides

Texture
• Medium thickness
• Less sticky than Virginia

What it looks like
• Tall plant with upright leaves
• Leaves look stretched compared to Virginia

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4.

4. Oriental / Turkish

Leaf shape

• Small, thin, heart‑shaped or triangular
• Much smaller than other types

Texture

• Very thin, papery
• Not sticky

What it looks like
• Compact plant
• Leaves rarely exceed the size of your hand

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5. Rustica (Nicotiana rustica)

Leaf shape

• Short, wide, very round
• Almost cabbage‑like

Texture
• Thick, very sticky
• Deep green

What it looks like
• Bushy plant
• Leaves look heavy and dense

Leaf shape
• Small, thin, heart‑shaped or triangular
• Much smaller than other types

Texture
• Very thin, papery
• Not sticky

What it looks like
• Compact plant
• Leaves rarely exceed the size of your hand
• Bushy plant
• Leaves look heavy and dense

 

[deluxestogie]

You are unlikely to identify the varieties. Wait for generalized mottling of the leaf on the lower stalk levels, with significant thickening of the leaf on the upper stalk, then stalk-cut those plants. Hang the entire stalks in shade or in a shed, to air-cure for a couple of months—on the stalks. Leaf that smells like cat urine is likely N. rustica.

Once color-cured, you can sort the leaf by general appearance, to allow some degree of experimentation in blending trials.

Bob

 

[DaleB]

Bob knows what he’s talking about. I had some plants that I KNEW what I’d planted, just lost track of which ones were which. Next time I’ll use more permanent markings to keep track. But even knowing that I had 3 varieties I couldn’t tell which was which. Once it was all cured I can “sort of” separate out some of it by color, but only some.