Very low maintenance, drought tolerant. Has a taproot, so after a certain point of maturity does not care for transplant.
Considered a weed by some, a wildflower by others, and an important herbal plant to the herbalists. It will reseed, most of the seeds are simply dropped near the parent plant.
Put this plant in your WORST soil / situation / area, it can thrive in conditions that would easily kill other plants.
Seeds only germinate on open ground.
Look to ensure a distance 0.78 inches (2.0 cm) between seeds when sowing - bury at a depth of at least 0.04 inches (0.1 cm) deep. Soil temperature should be kept higher than 10°C / 50°F to ensure good germination.By our calculations*, you should look at sowing Common Mullein about 49 days before your last frost date .
Biennial.
Start seeds in midsummer and grow on in sheltered conditions
Plant out into flowering position in late summer or early autumn
Mullein enjoys well drained sunny conditions
Flowers are prized among herbalists.
Here’s a video showing one method of using the flowers to make a cough syrup using flowers, sugar, and sunlight – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=My3WHWYl-IA
The seeds are ridiculously tiny. You can cut off the entire flower stalk, dry it / hang it upside down over a paper bag to collect seeds.
These estimates for how long Common Mullein takes to sprout, grow and harvest are from real observations from real gardeners, right around the world.
Average 6 days | Min 5 days | Max 11 days (4)
Average 85 days | Min 85 days | Max 85 days (1)
Average 35 days | Min 35 days | Max 35 days (1)
Our when to plant Common Mullein estimates are relative to your last frost date.
Reportedly the dried stalks were dipped in wax and used as torches by the Romans. The plant naturalized in North America, and the foliage was used to provide warmth and padding in shoes. It contains many compounds that make it desirable to herbalists, used particularly for lung issues and ear aches. It also contains compounds that are detrimental to fish.
Great mullein, Common mullein, Yellow Mullein, Cowboy Toilet Paper, Candlewick plant,
Verbascum thapsus L.