How to Identify Common Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) This plant is Common Mullein, a plant native to Asia and northern Africa that has become very common around the world. It is a biennial that flowers from mid to late summer.
In its first growth stage, the plant will appear as a small basal rosette of leaves. During its second year the plant will bolt in the spring, forming a tall, thick stem topped with a large flower spike. During this stage the plant will gain a significant amount of size, and can grow to over 6 feet tall. In both stages, the entire plant is covered in a thick layer of fine and very soft woolly hairs.
The leaves are oblong to lace-shaped, with either smooth or serrated margins. The undersides of the leaves have a large, prominent cream-colored midrib and veins. Again, the whole leaf has a covering of soft hairs that give it a grayish hue. The petioles will form wings that extend down the stem.
At the tops of the stems the plants will produce large spikes of densely clustered flowers. The flowers have five bright yellow petals, and the bracts, petals, and even stamens are covered in woolly hairs. After pollination they will produce brown pods that are loaded with several small, black seeds. The flower spikes will often remain on tall, dried stems the next year.x
The plant grows off a large, shallow taproot, and only reproduces via seed. Each plant can produce up to 200,000 seeds, which can persist in the soil for several years.
Common Mullein likes moist, rocky or gravelly soil and lots of sunlight. It is common along river bottoms, in pastures, meadows, rangelands, and waste areas.
The whole plant is edible, and is used in traditional medicines around the world.
This plant makes excellent toilet paper.
Mullein is invasive in natural areas, but is not very damaging to cultivated crops as it is not very competitive and cannot survive tillage.
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