Common mullein
| Botanical Name | Verbascum thapsus |
| Common Name | Common mullein |
| Family | Scrophulariaceae - Snapdragon |
| Description | This biennial produces a large thick rosette of velvety leaves the first year and a single, stout, erect stem the second year. Leaves are light green, densely woolly and overlap each other. |
| Mature Size | 2'-4' |
| Bloom | Late summer. Yellow flowers are borne in long, dense, cylindrical spikes. They are 5-lobed and about 1" across. |
| Interesting Facts | This plant is a native of Asia. Because of the large number of seeds produced, it is difficult to control. The leaves are the best toilet paper in the wilderness. Thapsus was an African village where this plant was abundant many years ago. Thapsus is now called Ris Dimas in Tunisia. |
| Traditional and Medicinal Uses | It has been used to treat pulmonary problems. Euell Gibbons writes about a cough remedy made from this plant and 3 other wild ingredients. It has been used as a substitute for tobacco. Its flowering stalks have been dipped in tallow to be used as candles. |
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Photo for SFBG by Janice Tucker
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Photo for SFBG by Janice Tucker
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