Common Mullein (also known as Great Mullein, Velvet Dock, and Woolly Mullein)
Kingdom: Plantae, Division: Tracheophyta, Class: Magnoliopsida, Order: Lamiales, Family: Scrophulariaceae, Genus: Verbascum, Species: Verbascum thapsus · Scrophulariaceae (Figwort family) · Simple, biennial herbaceous plant
Species
Verbascum thapsus
Leaf Type
Simple, biennial herbaceous plant
Family
Scrophulariaceae (Figwort family)
Shape
Oblanceolate to oblong-elliptical with an obtuse to acute apex
Size
Basal rosette leaves typically range from 4 to 16 inches long and 2 to 5 inches wide, with upper stem leaves becoming progressively smaller.
Margin
Crenate to slightly dentate or entire, often appearing wavy.
Arrangement
Basal rosette in the first year, becoming alternate on a tall, erect flowering stalk in the second year.
Rarity
Very Common
Color & Pattern
Vibrant medium to greyish-green coloration on the upper and lower surfaces, densely covered with branching trichomes giving it a felt-like or woolly appearance.
Venation Pattern
Pinnate venation with a prominent, thick midrib and strongly raised, reticulate lateral veins forming a quilted texture.
Texture & Surface
Thick, soft, and woolly or felt-like due to a dense mat of stellate hairs on both surfaces.
Description
Common Mullein is a striking biennial plant characterized by its dense, ground-hugging rosette of large, velvety leaves in its first year. In the second year, it bolts into a single, tall, unbranched flowering spike that can reach up to 6 to 8 feet in height, adorned with dense spikes of bright yellow, five-petaled flowers.
Key Features
Extremely woolly, grey-green, felt-like basal rosette leaves with prominent quilted venation and a stout, erect second-year flowering stalk.
Habitat
Thrives in disturbed soils, waste places, pastures, roadsides, rocky slopes, and newly cleared or burnt land, requiring full sun and well-drained soil.
Geographic Range
Native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia; widely introduced and naturalized across North America, Australia, and New Zealand.
Condition Notes
The leaves appear healthy, vibrant green, turgid, and free of significant insect damage or fungal disease, indicating an overall health grade of Excellent.
Interesting Facts
Historically, dried mullein stalks were dipped in tallow or suet and used as torches, earning it the name 'candlewick plant'. Native Americans and European settlers used the downy leaves for insulation inside footwear and as makeshift toilet paper.
Medicinal & Uses
Mullein has a long history in herbal medicine, particularly as an infusion or tea made from the leaves and flowers to soothe respiratory issues like coughs, bronchitis, and asthma. The plant has also been used historically to make yellow hair dye.
Ecological Role
Provides nectar and pollen for various native bees, beneficial insects, and hoverflies. Goldfinches and other small birds frequently feed on the dry seed capsules in winter.
Similar Species
Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea) can sometimes be confused in the rosette stage, but Foxglove leaves are more regularly toothed, lack the dense woolly felt, and are toxic.
Foraging Tips
Look for its prominent, velvety rosettes along railway tracks, gravel paths, and dry meadows, especially during spring and summer before the flowering stalk shoots up.
Toxicity Warning
Non-toxic. The plant is generally considered safe, though the tiny hairs on the leaves can irritate the throat if strained improperly when making teas.