In the first year, plants grow low to the ground, bearing rosettes of hairy leaves.
This herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial has a deep taproot.
Flowers attract flies, butterflies, short- and long-tongued bees, and other insects.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Light
Mullein thrives infull sun.
Plant them in a dry, warm spot near walls or large trees to protect them from wind.
The plant will also adapt to poor, calcareous soil.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Being so adaptable, it can spread quickly, creating dense patches even faster than somenative plants.
Water
Keep the soil moist when growing mullein from seed.
While the plant doesn’t need much moisture, water more often as it starts to flower.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
It is not finicky about humidity levels.
Fertilizer
Mullein can grow faster and produce more flowers when fed with a low release 10-10-10 fertilizer.
For the amount to use, follow product label instructions.
The Spruce / Evgeniya Vlasova
Of the Scrophulariaceae snapdragon family, their long terminal flower spikes are reminiscent ofsnapdragon flowers.
Flowers come in white, pink, lavender, purple, and yellow.
Either buy seeds or collect seeds from plants as soon as the fruits are borne from flowers.
None are known to disperse long-distance.
Seeds can remain alive and viable for decades in the soil.
Seeds that are on the surface or just below it will have enough light to germinate.
So the more the soil is disturbed, the more likely seeds will emerge and sprout.
Common Pests and Plant Diseases
Mullein is resistant to pests.
Aphids are only rarely a problem.
Avoid planting mullein in heavily compacted soil as such poorly draining soil can encourage root rot.
How Long Does Mullein Bloom?
This plant can bloom for about six weeks during the summer.
What Do Mullein’s Flowers Look and Smell Like?
The small yellow flowers smell like honey.
Deadheading will also make the plant look neater, keep it healthy, and prevent seed formation.
Cut the stalk at its base once its done flowering.
Once seeds are exposed to light, they germinate and grow quickly.
The more the soil is disturbed, the more likely seeds will emerge and sprout.
The basal leaves grow quickly the first season and flower spikes shoot up in the second season.
Seeds can last for decades in the soil, up to 100 years and sometimes longer.
Collected and dried seeds should be used within a couple of years.
‘Vernalization’ Why Plants Need Winter.
Common Mullein, Verbascum Thapsus.
Invasive of the Week: Common Mullein,Matthaei Botanical Gardens & Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan.
Invasive of the Week: Common Mullein.Matthaei Botanical Gardens and Nichols Arboretum, University of Michigan.
