Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a spectacular biennial that makes a real architectural statement in any garden or planing scheme. It is a native wildflower that produces rosettes of hairy grey-green leaves in the first year and flowers over a long period during the spring of its second year. Small yellow flowers are produced densely on long spires that can grow up to 2m in height.
The flowers attract flies, butterflies, short- and long-tongued bees, and other insects. The leaves are long thought to hold medicinal benefits, particularly for asthma and chest infections (it is a powerful expectorant) with Hildegard of Bingen citing it as one of the keys to a healthy heart. The long tap root helps break up the soil and lift nitrogen to the surface where other plants are able to access it.
