# great mullein (*Verbascum thapsus*) Great mullein is a tall plant with fuzzy leaves and bright yellow flowers. It grows in sunny places and is often found along roadsides and in fields. - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 99 - **Habitat:** Grasslands - **Also known as:** Common Mullein, Velvet Plant ![great mullein](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Kleinbl%C3%BCtige_K%C3%B6nigskerze.JPG&width=800) Photo: 4028mdk09, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Kleinbl%C3%BCtige_K%C3%B6nigskerze.JPG) ## Appearance The great mullein has distinctive velvety, grey-green leaves forming a large basal rosette, from which a towering flower stalk emerges. Its vibrant yellow, five-petaled flowers bloom sequentially up the spire, making it appear like a fuzzy, living candelabra. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Lamiales - **Family:** Scrophulariaceae - **Genus:** Verbascum ## Interesting facts - Ancient Romans dipped its dry stalks in oil to make towering torches! - Its yellow flowers can be boiled to create a natural, beautiful yellow dye! - Mullein is a "pioneer plant," often the very first to grow in newly disturbed soil. - Some cultures believed mullein could ward off evil spirits and bad luck! ## Special abilities - **Water Saver Fur:** Great mullein has soft, woolly hairs covering its leaves and stem, which trap moisture and protect it from harsh sun and cold. - **Sky-High Seed Spreader:** Great mullein can grow a towering flower stalk up to 8 feet tall, helping its many small seeds scatter widely with wind. - **Sleeping Seed Army:** Great mullein produces thousands of tiny seeds that can lie dormant in the soil for over 100 years, waiting to sprout. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 50-250 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 1.5-3 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** Yes - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar from its flowers - **Eats:** mullein moth (*Cucullia verbasci*) — caterpillars feed on its leaves - **Eats:** [American goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Spinus tristis*) — consumes its tiny seeds ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Medicinal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/medicinal): Medicinal plants possess chemical compounds that can be used for therapeutic purposes to treat illnesses or maintain health. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult, as some can be harmful. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify great mullein? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is great mullein? 50-250 cm ### How wide does great mullein spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on great mullein? 1.5-3 cm ### When does great mullein bloom? Summer ### Is great mullein edible? Yes ### Is great mullein toxic? None ### What is great mullein's lifecycle? Biennial ## Where to spot - [Barrio De Analco Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/barrio-de-analco-historic-district) — New Mexico, US · Historic District - [Blackhand Gorge State Nature Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blackhand-gorge-state-nature-preserve) — Ohio, US · Nature Reserve - [Cambridge Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cambridge-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Chatham Arch](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chatham-arch) — Indiana, US · Neighborhood - [Chestnut Street District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chestnut-street-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Cleveland Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/cleveland-park) — District of Columbia, US · Neighborhood [View all places to see great mullein](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/great-mullein) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Great Mullein: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-mullein)