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Florida 17 is a cigar wrapper tobacco developed in the 1960s and commercially released in 1966, bred specifically for the structural and visual quality that premium cigar production demands. This upright annual grows 36 to 60 inches tall and reaches harvest readiness in 75 to 80 days from transplant, delivering high yields of distinctly superior leaves. Open-pollinated and heirloom, it thrives in full sun across diverse growing environments, from field plots to containers and greenhouses, and naturally resists deer pressure.
Full Sun
Moderate
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60in H x ?in W
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Moderate
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Florida 17 earned its place in tobacco breeding history by solving a real problem: producing wrapper leaves with exceptional appearance and structure for premium cigars. Bred in the 1960s, it combines the quick mid-season growth surge that commercial growers need with the leaf quality that discerning cigar makers demand. The variety's adaptability stands out too, succeeding equally well in traditional field rows, raised beds, containers, and even under glass, giving gardeners genuine flexibility in how they grow it.
Florida 17 is grown specifically for cigar wrapper production, where the quality and appearance of the leaf are paramount to the final product. The variety's leaves are prized for their structural integrity and visual characteristics, which determine how well they perform in the demanding process of wrapping premium cigars.
No timeline data available yet for this variety.
Start seeds indoors in a warm environment 6 to 8 weeks before your last spring frost. Florida 17 benefits from warm conditions during germination and early growth before transplanting out.
Transplant seedlings outdoors after all frost danger has passed and soil has warmed sufficiently. Space plants 24 inches apart with 36 inches between rows. Harden off seedlings gradually to outdoor conditions before final planting.
Florida 17 reaches harvest readiness 75 to 80 days after transplanting. Monitor leaf color and texture as the plant matures; leaves intended for cigar wrapping are harvested at a specific stage of maturity to optimize their structural qualities and appearance. Harvest individual leaves as they reach their prime rather than waiting for the entire plant to mature.
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“Florida 17 emerged from deliberate breeding work in the 1960s, developed specifically to meet the exacting standards of the cigar industry. The variety was released commercially in 1966, representing a successful intersection of agricultural science and craft tradition. Its development reflected the tobacco industry's focus on Florida as a growing region, where the climate and soil created ideal conditions for wrapper leaf production. This cultivar carries the fingerprints of its era: purposeful breeding toward a specific end use, combined with the open-pollinated genetics that allowed seed savers and growers to maintain and replant their own stock.”