Common Mullein

Verbascum thapsus

This common plant forms a usually single, unbranched spike topped by a long flowering head, often a foot or two in length, containing many buds packed closely on all sides. These open irregularly as yellow (sometimes white) flowers, each about 1/2 inch across, with orange anthers.  Flowers last only one day, opening before dawn and withering after noon, but as many are produced the plant often has an impressive floral spike. The whole plant is hairy, especially the leaves, which are large (up to 18 inches long near the base of the plant), gray-green, and woolly in texture.

Common mullein, an alien originally from Eurasia, is biennial, producing only a basal rosette of leaves the first year, which overwinters; the flowering spike appears in the second year.  It produces huge numbers of seeds; these germinate especially in disturbed soil, as they usually require sunlight, but can remain viable for many decades.

2-6 feet, sun.

Summer (June-September).

Common Mullein, 21 June 2020.

The rosette of basal leaves at the end of winter, waiting for the main stem to bolt with warmer weather.

23 March 2021.