Verbascum thapsus
great mullein
Tall grey or white-woolly biennial up to 2m in height, forming a rosette of large mid-green leaves to 50cm long in its first year, with a stout, upright, woolly stem bearing a succession of light yellow, saucer-shaped flowers 3cm across in the summer of the second year
Other common names
Aaron's rodag leaf
see morebeggar's blanket
blanket leaf
bullock's lungwort
candlewick
clown's lungwort
common mullein
cow's lungwort
duffle
feltwort
flannel
flannel leaf
flannel plant
fluffweed
hag taper
hag's taper
hare's beard
hedge taper
high taper
Jupiter's staff
king's taper
lady's candles
lady's foxglove
light of the Lord
lucernaria
mullein dock
old man's flannel
rag paper
shepherd's club
torch lily
torches
velvet dock
velvet plant
white mullein
woollens
woundweed
Adam's flannel
felt
Jacob's staff
lamb's wool
velvet leaf
Buy this plant
Size
Ultimate height
1.5–2.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.1–0.5 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
AlkalineColour & scent
| Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
| Spring | Grey Silver Green | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Summer | Yellow | Grey Silver Green | ||
| Autumn | Grey Silver Green | |||
| Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
East–facing or South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Native to the UK
- Yes
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Clump forming
- Genus
Verbascum can be annuals, biennials, perennials or subshrubs mostly with hairy leaves and 5-petalled, saucer-shaped flowers
- Name status
Correct
- Plant range
- Eurasia
How to grow
Cultivation
Suitable for herbaceous border and gravel garden. Grow in poor alkaline well-drained soil in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by seed or division in spring
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Cottage and informal garden
- Wildlife gardens
- Wildflower meadow
- Flower borders and beds
Pruning
No pruning required
Pests
May be susceptible to caterpillars and figwort weevil
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews
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