common mullein |
Plants: Forbs/Herbs |
|
Magnoliopsida > Scrophulariales > Scrophulariaceae > Verbascum thapsus L.
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| Synonym(s): big taper, flannel mullein, flannel plant, great mullein, mullein, velvet dock, velvet plant, woolly mullein |
| Common mullein is a biennial forb native to Eurasia and Africa. Plants are unbranched and can grow to more than 6.6 ft. (2 m) tall. First year plants develop as a basal rosette of felt-like leaves. Basal leaves are 4-12 in. (10.2-30.5 cm) long, 1-5 in. (2.5-12.7 cm) wide and covered with woolly hairs. The plant bolts in the second year. Flowering occurs in June to August, when five-petaled, yellow flowers develop at the apex of the shoot. Cauline (stem) leaves are decurrent, alternate and decrease in size towards the apex. The fruit is a ovoid capsule that splits releasing many seeds that germinate in water. Common mullein was introduced to North America in the mid-1700s as a fish poison. |
| Image |
Descriptor |
Description |
Photographer |
| 5309028 |
Diagram or Graphic |
Britton, N.L., and A. Brown. 1913. Illustrated flora of the northern states and Canada. Vol. 3: 173. |
USDA PLANTS Database |
| 5161058 |
Feature(s) |
strange growth |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5004049 |
Flower(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5161057 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5248035 |
Flower(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5269022 |
Flower(s) |
Flowers are about an inch wide. They bloom a few at a time from June to September. Mullein produce huge numbers of seeds. One mullein plant may make over 100,000 seeds in a year. Seeds can survive almost any conditions and can last up to 100 years. Since mullein can't grow in shade, the seeds can lay in the soil, waiting until plants around them die or are removed. |
Beverly Turner |
| 5358665 |
Flower(s) |
Close-up view of flowering stalks of common mullein (Verbascum thapsus). |
L.L. Berry |
| 5004041 |
Flower(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5004045 |
Flower(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5004047 |
Flower(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5161045 |
Flower(s) |
flowers |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161053 |
Flower(s) |
deformed flowerhead |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161054 |
Flower(s) |
flowering |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1215079 |
Flower(s) |
close-up of flowers |
Dave Powell |
| 1459354 |
Flower(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1459924 |
Flower(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1551113 |
Flower(s) |
|
John Cardina |
| 1553023 |
Flower(s) |
|
Theodore Webster |
| 1557435 |
Flower(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557436 |
Flower(s) |
|
John Cardina |
| 1557437 |
Flower(s) |
|
John Cardina |
| 5377519 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377520 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377516 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377524 |
Flower(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5386550 |
Flower(s) |
flowering stem. |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5392694 |
Flower(s) |
Close-up of flowers |
John M. Randall |
| 5392700 |
Flower(s) |
Flower close-up |
John M. Randall |
| 5405719 |
Flower(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5408275 |
Flower(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408277 |
Flower(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408278 |
Flower(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408279 |
Flower(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408280 |
Flower(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408281 |
Flower(s) |
inflorescence |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408276 |
Foliage |
second year plant |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408270 |
Foliage |
first year rosette |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408284 |
Foliage |
leaf attachment; winged stems |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408285 |
Foliage |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408286 |
Foliage |
second year plant |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5405720 |
Foliage |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405632 |
Foliage |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405681 |
Foliage |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5366136 |
Foliage |
rosette |
K. George Beck & James Sebastian |
| 5370198 |
Foliage |
basal leaves |
Carey Minteer |
| 5370199 |
Foliage |
|
Carey Minteer |
| 1557445 |
Foliage |
underside of leaf |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557446 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1459356 |
Foliage |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1551115 |
Foliage |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1553020 |
Foliage |
|
John Cardina |
| 1120271 |
Foliage |
August. Photo from Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife
Uses by J.H. Miller and K.V. Miller, published by The University of
Georgia Press in cooperation with the Southern Weed Science Society. |
Ted Bodner |
| 5161046 |
Foliage |
leaves |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5248032 |
Foliage |
|
Richard Old |
| 5248034 |
Fruit(s) |
infructescence |
Richard Old |
| 5004042 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5405746 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405631 |
Fruit(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5408268 |
Infestation |
roadside infested with about a dozen plants |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5392695 |
Infestation |
A blight on a beautiful view |
John M. Randall |
| 5392696 |
Infestation |
rosette |
John M. Randall |
| 5392697 |
Infestation |
Island invasion |
John M. Randall |
| 5392698 |
Infestation |
sunny invasion |
John M. Randall |
| 1210099 |
Infestation |
Aggressive invasion after prescribed fire; South Platte RD, Pike NF |
Dave Powell |
| 1215078 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Dave Powell |
| 1459355 |
Plant(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 1380232 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1380233 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1391499 |
Plant(s) |
Rosette |
John D. Byrd |
| 1459353 |
Plant(s) |
Rosette |
Steve Dewey |
| 1459357 |
Plant(s) |
|
Steve Dewey |
| 2128072 |
Plant(s) |
Rosette |
Chris Evans |
| 2128073 |
Plant(s) |
Rosette |
Chris Evans |
| 2128074 |
Plant(s) |
Rosette |
Chris Evans |
| 2190084 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 1557448 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
John Cardina |
| 1557440 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557441 |
Plant(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557442 |
Plant(s) |
|
Theodore Webster |
| 5004043 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5004044 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5004048 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5004046 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5161047 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161048 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161049 |
Plant(s) |
bolting |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161051 |
Plant(s) |
habit on aa |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161052 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161055 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5161056 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5358664 |
Plant(s) |
Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) plants in bloom and setting seed. |
L.L. Berry |
| 5366135 |
Plant(s) |
in flower |
K. George Beck & James Sebastian |
| 5248033 |
Plant(s) |
|
Richard Old |
| 5161059 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 1120270 |
Plant(s) |
June. Photo from Forest Plants of the Southeast and Their Wildlife
Uses by J.H. Miller and K.V. Miller, published by The University of
Georgia Press in cooperation with the Southern Weed Science Society. |
Ted Bodner |
| 5004050 |
Plant(s) |
|
Mary Ellen (Mel) Harte |
| 5161044 |
Plant(s) |
habit |
Forest & Kim Starr |
| 5392699 |
Plant(s) |
With weed scientist's children |
John M. Randall |
| 5403177 |
Plant(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5403178 |
Plant(s) |
Basal rosette; flower stalk |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5405630 |
Plant(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405750 |
Plant(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405714 |
Plant(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405633 |
Plant(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5405673 |
Plant(s) |
|
Bonnie Million |
| 5377515 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377521 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377522 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377523 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5386551 |
Plant(s) |
rosette. |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5392692 |
Plant(s) |
Large flowering plants |
John M. Randall |
| 5392693 |
Plant(s) |
A first-year rosette |
John M. Randall |
| 5377525 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5386549 |
Plant(s) |
along railroad track. |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5377517 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5377518 |
Plant(s) |
|
Chris Evans |
| 5408271 |
Plant(s) |
first year rosettes |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408272 |
Plant(s) |
second year plant surrounded by approx. a dozen first year rosettes |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408273 |
Plant(s) |
second year plant |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408274 |
Plant(s) |
first year rosettes |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408287 |
Plant(s) |
rosette |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408282 |
Plant(s) |
second year plant |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408288 |
Root(s) |
Second year plant |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408289 |
Root(s) |
second year plant with inflorescence |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408290 |
Root(s) |
|
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5408291 |
Sapling(s) |
first year rosette; foliage; roots |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 5309029 |
Seed(s) |
|
Steve Hurst |
| 1557444 |
Seed(s) |
|
Ken Chamberlain |
| 1553021 |
Seed(s) |
|
Ken Chamberlain |
| 1553024 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1553025 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1553026 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557451 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557452 |
Seedling(s) |
|
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 1557453 |
Seedling(s) |
with cotyledons |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
| 5386552 |
Seedling(s) |
seedlings. |
Joseph M. DiTomaso |
| 5366137 |
Seedling(s) |
young common mullein |
K. George Beck & James Sebastian |
| 5408283 |
Stem(s) |
winged stems |
Karan A. Rawlins |
| 1557450 |
Stem(s) |
top of stem/leaves |
Ohio State Weed Lab Archive |
