About
Helen Johnson' is a rather short-lived herbaceous perennial up to 90cm high with evergreen rosettes of downy, wrinkled, grey-green, pointed leaves, up to 20cm long, and branched spikes up to 45cm long of soft coppery pink-orange-brown flowers, each 3cm across, with purple and orange stamens, in a long flowering period from early to late summer; wool carder bees may collect hairs from stems and leaves for their nests.
About the genus
Verbascum can be annuals, biennials, perennials or subshrubs mostly with hairy leaves and 5-petalled, saucer-shaped flowers
Growing conditions
SunlightFull sun
Soil typeChalk, Loam, Sand
Soil pHAlkaline, Neutral
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectWest-facing, South-facing
ExposureSheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageEvergreen
Height0.5-1 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height1-2 years
Suggested usesCoastal, Cottage and informal garden, Gravel garden
Care notes
CultivationGrow in full sun in light, non-acidic, well-drained soil: will tolerate shallow chalky soils, dry soils, and poor soils, but will need staking in richer soils, and will not tolerate wet soils
PruningNo pruning required except deadheading the flowering stem
PropagationPropagate by root cuttings in late winter; because it is rather short-lived, propagate new plants regularly
Pest resistanceGenerally pest-free but may be susceptible to figwort weevil and mullein moth
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews