Growth and development of seven Oriental tobacco cultivars, representing aromatic, neutral and taste type tobacco grown in Greece, were studied at Drama, Greece, during 1982 and 1983. The growing period from transplanting to flowering ranged from 65 to 80 days and was the same for both years. Plant height increase followed a sigmoid curve, the number of harvestable leaves developed almost linearly with time, and total dry weight production and leaf area increase can be described by a logarithmic curve. The effect of year on all parameters was significant, but cultivar differences were consistent. Assimilation rates during the whole period ranged from 0.1 g to 3.0 g per day per plant in 1982, and from 0.1 g to 2.7 g in 1983. Dry weight distribution in the plant parts and final yield production for the cultivars tested were also recorded.