It is a biennial or short-lived perennial plant in the tobacco genus Nicotiana, native to the Andes region in Argentina and Bolivia, in South America.

The leaves are simple, somewhat sticky, with the blade partially surrounding the stem, clasping petiole.

Though a short-lived perennial, in colder zones it is normally grown as a half-hardy annual, sown under glass with heat in early spring, and planted out after the last frosts.

In Great Britain, it will only successfully overwinter in more sheltered coastal areas or parts of London where the temperature never falls below −5 °C (23 °F).

[4] This plant has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.