Leaf
Thierry Ravayrol, Tela Botanica · CC BY-SA 2.0
Great mullein
Verbascum thapsus L.
Also known as: Common mullein, Aaron's rod
Family: Scrophulariaceae
1 to 2 m tall
Banks, wasteland, gardens, dry soils even poor ones
Flowering: June – September
Full sun
Hardy to -25°C
❓ How do you recognise this plant?
Its thick felted down protects the plant from drought and cold — the leaves were once used as candle wicks.
🍃 Leaves
Large, thick, covered in a dense felted white-grey down
🌸 Flowers
Long upright spikes of small yellow flowers
🍎 Fruits
Small ovoid capsules
🪵 Bark
Basal rosette in the first year, tall upright stem in the second
🗺️ Distribution
Europe, temperate Asia; very common on wasteland, banks and dry rough ground in France.
🐝 Value for pollinators
Tall yellow flower spike very rich in pollen, visited by many wild bees.
✂️ Horticultural uses
Back of the border, dry and naturalistic gardens; imposing vertical silhouette, decorative woolly foliage.
⚠️ Possible toxicity
No notable known toxicity; seeds slightly toxic to fish (traditional use for fishing), to be avoided near water points.
🌿 Other Scrophulariaceae to discover
ℹ️ Educational profile — do not use it to judge whether a plant is edible or safe.
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