Feature Article Happy Wanderers Falling for Verbascums by C.L. Fornari

f you are the type of gardener them, you’re likely to have verbascum Iwho likes reliability, these may not be in your landscape forever. the best plants for your garden. Those Verbascum grow best where they who want to put a plant in place and receive at least five hours of direct have it remain in one location might sunlight. As a group they are drought- be annoyed by this genus’s tendency to tolerant and will grow in a wide range wander. But if you like an element of of soil types, but require good drainage surprise in the landscape, or appreciate or a sloped site where there will be no how nature can often position the standing water. Most verbascum will perfect plant in just the right spot, grow in rock gardens, and have deep you’ll love the verbascums. taproots that grow down into gravel, I call these “exclamation point clay, or other poor soils. plants.” In gardens commonly filled Many verbascum seeds require with the rounded forms of shrubs, light for good germination. This is perennials, and annuals, thin, upright useful to know when the gardener plants like verbascum can make the wants to have some control over the design come alive. They add visual amount of plants that are allowed to contrast and the excitement provided grow in a landscape. Not all verbascum by the unexpected. In addition to self-seed prolifically, but for those that their form, the pollen-rich verbascum do, it’s helpful to have a measure of flowers are foraged by several species control over their germination. When of bees. you want more plants in the garden, Banana Custard puts the flowers and visiting bees at eye level. There are over 350 species of wait to mulch later in the summer verbascum, most native to Europe and or fall. But where fewer plants are of Canada. It is so ubiquitous that some states include V. thapsus on their Asia. In large, they are biennials or desired, applying a 2" layer of mulch short-lived perennials, which is why early in the spring will suppress seed pernicious weed lists. But since it does they tend to wander in gardens. They sprouting. not readily move into undisturbed areas, common mullein is not are also prolific self-seeders, so even For Some, A Weed if they don’t live long, once you grow considered an invasive plant. That said, studies have shown that Verbascum thapsus has been the most widely known variety utilized for a variety of medicinal, of verbascum in North America, cosmetic, and practical purposes for Verbascum thapsus, is one species centuries. From its use in assorted that will happily germinate in light or darkness. Commonly called mullein, tonics and cures to tallow-dipped, this ability to sprout in assorted flower-stalk torches, this plant was so conditions has likely helped contribute valued through history that its seeds to the spread of this plant. Similar were carried throughout the world. to many naturalized weeds, mullein Thus the plant has traveled from establishes quickly in disturbed soils. gardens to roadsides and beyond. Since it’s very tolerant of poor soils This weed is easy to spot in the I have planted ‘Banana and Custard’ and and drought, it thrives on roadsides, wild or the landscape because the V. olympicum in this garden. The shorter plants here have self-seeded and could along railroad tracks, and in vacant foliage is extremely fuzzy and a soft be either one or a hybrid of the two. The urban lots. silver-gray in color. The stems are a tallest, branched plant is typical of V. Mullein is found in all fifty states greenish gray as well, and the flowers a olympicum. and throughout the southern provinces medium yellow. Vol. 31, No. 3 Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group 3 Mullein 2.0 ‘Southern Charm’ has Gardeners who like V. thapsus but become a popular plant for desire a more showy variety should several reasons. The flowers look for a hybrid called ‘Banana look as if a watercolor artist and Custard’, a name that’s often was in charge of painting their abbreviated to Banana Custard. The petals. They range from soft flower stalks on this variety grow at peach shades to pale gold, least 4' tall. The foliage is more green pink, and lavender. All have than silver, and the flowers are larger fuzzy purple stamens that than those on V. thapsus. Bloom stalks create a lovely, contrasting are wider and well branched. In fact, center of the plant. Because once this plant is in full flower, the dark or light centers of stalks often need staking because they become so top-heavy with blossoms flowers form a target for and seeds. pollinators, these are often referred to as “the bee.” ‘Southern Charm’ has a purple bee that makes the charming flowers even more eye- When the verbascum are in flower I can hear my entire catching. garden buzzing. At any given time, I can spot at least The main appeal of two species of bees working the plants. ‘Southern Charm’ for problem because each plant produces gardeners are the flowers, of course. hundreds of seeds that happily travel But growers and home grdeners also and sprout throughout gardens, paths, appreciate the fact that these seeds and gravel driveways. don’t need vernalization for flowering. Nettle-leaved mullein flowers Although many types of verbascum heavily in the early summer and often plants need the plants to experience a reblooms in the fall. The foliage is prolonged cool period for flowering, green, not silver, and has a distinctive ‘Southern Charm’ does not, so is likely odor when handled. Flower stalks are to bloom the first year from seed. typically 2–3' tall, and can be single or Another reason for this cultivar’s branched on the species plants. There popularity is that the plants branch are at least three named varieties. out, providing several stems of bloom. ‘Album’ has a variable growth pattern Flower stalks commonly grow 2–3' similar to the species, but with white high and have become especially flowers. ‘Sixteen Candles’ is a yellow- valued for cutting gardens. Where flowering cultivar that is highly Even in the shade of the house as branched, and ‘Wedding Candles’ is the sun sets, V. bombyciferum ‘Arctic summer temperatures are warm, this Summer’ is a striking plant. verbascum tends to go dormant in also multi-stemmed with white petals. Even more striking is Verbascum the heat of the season, but often will Using these plants in a landscape bombyciferum ‘Arctic Summer’ which return into bloom in the fall. ‘Southern successfully requires regular has larger yellow flowers and fuzzy, Charm’ is hardy, although white-silver foliage. This variety also short-lived, in Zones 5-9. grows to 4–5' and is a biennial hardy Cottage Garden in Zones 5–9. Grow this variety for a Favorite powerful two-year punch of dramatic Another verbascum with a foliage followed by flowers. dark center bee is the nettle- Beyond Yellow leaved mullein, V. chaixii. If you want to attract bees to One of the most widely available any garden, use this plant. varieties of verbascum right now The species has dime-sized is Verbascum × hybrida ‘Southern yellow flowers with purple Charm’. This cultivar is sold by many centers. It is often described companies as both seed and plants. It as “a true perennial,” but is the result of a breeding program and Verbascum chaixii can be prolific in the garden. Some most gardeners find that was brought to market by PanAmerican years I leave many to flower and cut them down as the plants typically live for Seed Company. blooms fade, while other years I edit more out early in three years. This isn’t a the season. 4 Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group May 2017 I have grown ‘Sixteen Candles’ and Not all verbascum have yellow petals. These Verbascum olympicum self-seed ‘Album’ among the straight species ‘Wedding Candles’ is a white variety. in this area every year. They seem to V. chaixii, and now I get several forms Other selections come in shades of soft like crowding to the front of the bed appearing in my garden. peach to pale gold, pink, and lavender. where the sun is the strongest. The plant maintenance and a willingness to pull The foliage is felted, and the rosettes typically grows 6–7' tall. This photo had already been in bloom for at least four excess plants. Plants will need to be themselves can grow 2–3' wide the first weeks. selectively pulled out every year or the year. Most plants flower the second entire garden will become a forest of year, but I’ve seen occasional rosettes verbascum. Plants that are growing in of V. olympicum that continue to grow the wrong locations will also need to be the second season and only come into flower during their third summer. C.L. Fornari, author of seven books and pulled. But in my experience the most numerous articles, is currently the host important task is to cut most stems A V. olympicum flower stalk is of GardenLine, on WXTK and co-host of back to the ground after flowering worth the wait, however. Typically the Plantrama podcast. She speaks about finishes. The seed stalks are not very 6–8' tall and widely branched, this plants and gardens nationwide and works at Hyannis Country Garden. Her not-so- attractive, and the more seeds that verbascum is in flower from mid to late summer. It will grow in Zones , and secret mission is to start a gardening are left to mature and fall, the more 5–9 revival…in the meantime she cultivates weeding and editing will be required in will be happiest in an extremely sunny plants at Poison Ivy Acres on Cape Cod, coming seasons. and well-drained location. and blogs at www.GardenLady.com. Going Big and Bold Other Varieties Ed Note: All photos are ©C.L. Fornari. Those who desire fewer plants, but There are many other species and like plants that put on a show, will cultivars of verbascum. A appreciate Verbascum olympicum. As quick search on the Internet its name suggests, this plant is large. results in dozens of seed sources, both in the United Verbascum Sources States and Great Britain. Here are a few selected sources that offer I have never planted a a wide variety of verbascum seed; verbascum that I haven’t Thompson and Morgan USA loved, and there are many www.thompson-morgan.com more that I look forward Chiltern Seeds to being introduced to. www.chilternseeds.co.uk On my property, they are Plant World Seeds www.plant-world-seeds.com encouraged to wander Many other seed sources offer assorted through the gardens, and species and cultivars as both seeds and I always look forward to Here is an example of a year when I severely edited the plants, so be sure and search on the seeing where they’ll take specific type you wish to grow. Verbascum chaixii so that when they came into flower, root. I had distinct and separate groups. Vol. 31, No. 3 Hardy Plant Society/Mid-Atlantic Group 5