| Description | Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) A biennial that produces a tall spike of yellow flowers. Has become an invasive weed in many areas of the United States. |
|---|---|
| Plant Type | Wild Flowers, Biennials, Site author's observations |
| Sunlight | full |
| Moisture | average |
| Soil & Site | common in disturbed sites, average to dry soil |
| Flowers | tall spike, yellow flowers, 5 petals, biennial reproducing from seeds |
| Fruit | seeds need open ground to germinate, over a 100,000 seeds can be produced per plant |
| Leaves | first years it is a rosette of woolly (tomentose) soft, pettable leaves, second year the flower spike is produced, leaves are larger at the base of the stem. |
| Stems | stout, usually unbranched |
| Dimensions | I have seen it 6 feet tall, reported to reach 10 feet. |
| Propagation | estimated that a single plant can produce 100,000-180,000 seeds, may remain viable for more than 100 years |
| Misc Facts | The species' name comes from Thapsus, an ancient town in Northern Africa. The leaves were used as lamp wicks, and the stalks as torches. They were used to cure a plethora of ailments throughout the ages. Also drank as a tea. They were naturalized from Europe throughout most of the USA. Common mullein was first introduced into the U.S. in the mid-1700s, where it was used as a piscicide, or fish poison, in Virginia. Records show that it was first described in Michigan in 1839 and on the Pacific coast in 1876. AKA: Adam's Flannel, Beggar's Blanket, Bullock's Lungwort, Bonhomme, Borraja, Common Mullein, Flannel Mullein, Flannel Plant, Feltwort, Fluffweed, Hare's Beard Gordolobo, Great Mullein, Jup |
| Author's Notes | This is a common plant in my area. The vertical structure stands out, especially in the winter. |
| Notes & Reference | #19-Common Weeds ( USDA Agricultural Research Service), #49-The History and Folklore of North American Wildflowers (Timothy Coffey), #69-Manual of Vascular Plants of Northeastern United States and Adjacent Canada (Gleason, Cronquist) |
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