About

An upright variety which can be short-lived. It produced rosettes of grey-green velvety leaves, followed by long, slim stems of flat, yellow flowers during the 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
ExposureExposed, Sheltered
UK hardinessH6

Plant details

Plant typeHerbaceous Perennial
HabitColumnar upright
FoliageSemi evergreen
Height1.5-2.5 metres
Spread0.5-1 metres
Time to full height2-5 years
Suggested usesCottage and informal garden, Gravel garden, Wildlife gardens

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
PruningRemove faded flower spikes to prolong flowering
PropagationPropagate by seed sown in containers in a cold frame in spring or early summer, or by root cuttings in winter
Pest resistanceMay be susceptible to mullein moth caterpillars and figwort weevil
Disease resistanceMay be susceptible to powdery mildews