About
Plum Smokey' is a compact rosette-forming, sometimes short-lived perennial to 45cm tall. Greyish-green, hairy, ovate leaves form a basal rosette and slender spikes of purple flowers are borne in summer.
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
Soil moistureWell-drained
AspectSouth-facing, West-facing
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6
Plant details
Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageDeciduous
Height0.1-0.5 metres
Spread0.1-0.5 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Gravel garden
Care notes
CultivationGrows best in an alkaline, well-drained soil in full sun
PruningRemove faded flower spikes
PropagationPropagate by division in spring or by root cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to mullein moth caterpillars and figwort weevil
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews