Common Mullein
Verbascum thapsus
A robust biennial herb featuring a tall, erect flowering spike with bright yellow flowers and large, woolly, grey-green basal leaves arranged in a dense rosette.
- Light
- Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
- Water
- Low watering needs. Allow the soil to dry out completely between watering sessions. Highly drought-tolerant once established.
- Growth
- Biennial growth habit. Forms a low rosette of leaves in the first year, followed by a single upright flowering stalk reaching 2 to 7 feet in height during the second year.
Care instructions
Provide full sun and exceptionally well-drained, poor, or sandy soil. Water sparingly as established plants are highly drought-tolerant; avoid excessive moisture.
Growing details
Sunlight
Full sun, requiring at least 6 to 8 hours of direct sunlight per day.
Watering
Low watering needs. Allow the soil to dry out completely between watering sessions. Highly drought-tolerant once established.
Soil
Thrives in dry, sandy, gravelly, or chalky soils with excellent drainage and a neutral to alkaline pH range of 6.0 to 7.5.
Hardiness zone
USDA Hardiness Zones 3 through 9.
Growth habit
Biennial growth habit. Forms a low rosette of leaves in the first year, followed by a single upright flowering stalk reaching 2 to 7 feet in height during the second year.
Bloom season
Blooms from mid-summer to early autumn, producing dense spikes of five-petaled, bright yellow flowers.
Propagation
Propagated easily from seed sown directly in disturbed soil or garden beds in spring or autumn.
Common pests & issues
Generally resilient against major pests and diseases, though occasionally susceptible to powdery mildew or leaf spots in overly humid conditions.
Similar species
Moth Mullein (Verbascum blattaria), which features smaller flowers and more slender stems, and Orange Mullein (Verbascum phlomoides), which has slightly larger flowers and woollier stems.