July 2010 Plant of the Month —
Ornamental Mullein

'Jackie in Pink' is among the popular ornamental mullein cultivars in zones 5 - 8. Photo from the UT Gardens collection by B. Willis. Download this image

Submitted by Beth Willis

Ornamental Mullein, the common name for a number of Verbascum hybrids, can be a charming addition to your garden. Although most are either biennials or short-lived perennials, they are remarkably low-maintenance plants with a long season of bloom if you keep just a few things in mind while siting them.

Ornamental Mullein has an upright vertical form, with tall flower spikes rising from a basal rosette of woolly gray-green leaves. Available in colors ranging from pure white to pinks, peaches, yellows and lavenders, you are sure to find one that will work in your garden. Spikes bloom from top to bottom with large, flat five-petaled flowers. Fuzzy purple or dark pink stamens (in most varieties) add to the appeal. Blooming begins in late spring and continues through late summer or even into autumn depending on the variety.

Verbascum, a member of the Figwort family, is native to Europe and Asia although some of the more than 250 species in the genus have naturalised in North America and other parts of the world. Many of the species are weedy rather than ornamental although they do have herbal uses. Native Americans used ground seed as a paralytic fish poison. Others have created medicines and dyes from the plants. Even the woolly leaves have been put to use, as the common names Poor Man’s Blanket and Cowboy Toilet Paper attest.
 
Ornamental Mullein thrives in full sun in zones 5 to 8. It is very susceptible to root rot if drainage is not adequate, but so long as it is given good drainage it is not picky about soil type. In fact, Ornamental Mullein is well suited to the sandy or rocky soils found in rock gardens. It also works well in borders or cottage gardens with more fertile soils. It has no serious disease or pest problems and has few maintenance needs, but deadheading spent flower spikes can help prolong blooming. Ornamental Mulleins tend to be either biennials or short-lived perennials in the garden, but they can be propagated by root cuttings from late winter to early spring.

In the last decade a number of ornamental hybrid cultivars have been introduced. These hybrids offer new bloom colors and color combinations, shorter plant sizes, and larger blooms.  ‘Southern Charm’, a soothing blend of creamy yellows, lavenders, and peachy-pinks, grows to a height of 2 ft to 2.5 ft in the garden.  ‘Caribbean Crush’ can reach heights between 2 ft and 4 ft and boasts a bright blend of tropical yellows, oranges, and lavenders on individual plants. ‘Jackie in Pink’ and ‘Jackie in Yellow’ are compact varieties (heights to 18 inches) that will even work well in containers. ‘Sixteen Candles’ and ‘Wedding Candles’, with profuse blooms of yellow and white respectively, will reach a height of 3 ft to  3.5 ft in the garden.


Beth Willis is the UT Gardens Trials Coordinator.  The University of Tennessee Gardens located in Knoxville and Jackson are part of the UT Institute of Agriculture. Their mission is to foster appreciation, education and stewardship of plants through garden displays, collections, educational programs and research trials. The gardens are open during all seasons and free to the public. Online at http://utgardens.tennessee.edu/

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Contacts:

Beth Willis, UT Gardens Trials Coordinator, 865-974-7324, ewillis2@utk.edu

Patricia McDaniels, UTIA Marketing and Communications Services, 615-835-4570, pmcdaniels@tennessee.edu