Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a plant in the annuals and biennials category that can grow 1.5m – 3m tall and 10cm – 50cm wide.

This plant has several common names including: great mullein, Aaron’s rod, Adam’s flannel, ag leaf, beggar’s blanket, blanket leaf, bullock’s lungwort, candlewick, clown’s lungwort, common mullein, cow’s lungwort, duffle, felt, feltwort, flannel, flannel leaf, flannel plant, fluffweed, hag taper, hag’s taper, hare’s beard, hedge taper, high taper, Jacob’s staff, Jupiter’s staff, king’s taper, lady’s candles, lady’s foxglove, lamb’s wool, light of the Lord, lucernaria, mullein dock, old man’s flannel, rag paper, shepherd’s club, torch lily, torches, velvet dock, velvet leaf, velvet plant, white mullein, woollens or woundweed.

This is a deciduous plant that takes 1-2 years to reach full maturity.

Plant profile

Common name: great mullein, Aaron’s rod, Adam’s flannel, ag leaf, beggar’s blanket, blanket leaf, bullock’s lungwort, candlewick, clown’s lungwort, common mullein, cow’s lungwort, duffle, felt, feltwort, flannel, flannel leaf, flannel plant, fluffweed, hag taper, hag’s taper, hare’s beard, hedge taper, high taper, Jacob’s staff, Jupiter’s staff, king’s taper, lady’s candles, lady’s foxglove, lamb’s wool, light of the Lord, lucernaria, mullein dock, old man’s flannel, rag paper, shepherd’s club, torch lily, torches, velvet dock, velvet leaf, velvet plant, white mullein, woollens, woundweed
Scientific name: Verbascum thapsus
Plant type: Annual / Biennial
Habit: Columnar / Upright
Height: 1.5m – 3m
Spread: 10cm – 50cm
Foliage: Deciduous
Sunlight: Full Sun
Soil: Chalk, Loam, Sand
Moisture: Well drained
Garden type: Informal Garden, Wildflower meadow, Wildlife Gardens
Planting type: Flower borders and bedding, Low Maintenance
Other characteristics: Plants for pollinators

Seasonal colors

How to plant Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus) – Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Cultivation profiles – Growing Great mullein (Verbascum thapsus) – Krzysztof Ziarnek, Kenraiz, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons