It's interesting to see all these colors refer to harvesting early or late or whatever. From everything I've learned, tobacco is either "ripe" or it isn't. I've read some info on different varieties, primarily pipe and cigarette varieties, that suffer when allowed to over-ripen, but I've never heard of picking leaves "early" to affect their color. Leaf color is a function determined by the processor after harvest.....in other words, I could grow a leaf completely under shade. Harvest it very early, and still have it come out very dark brown in color. True, due to the typical fragility or thinness of shade grow leaves, it would most likely fall apart and be unsuitable for wrapper use.

From what I've seen, length of time on the stalk and the position of the leaf on the plant determine the thickness of the leaves....or durability if you will. This durability factor definitely affects what types of processing the leaves will endure and still come out "wrapper quality". Candela shade ligero leaves....definitely doable. Might taste like shit, but it's doable.