Verbascum thapsus, the great mullein or common mullein, is a species of mullein native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia, and introduced in the Americas and Australia.[1]. [61] Additionally, deer and elk eat the leaves. David L. Hoffmann BSc Hons MNIMH. It is dependent upon its long lived seed for regeneration which it produces in prodigious amounts. This wildflower is also found in most parts of mainland Europe including the Mediterranean region, where it thrives despite the long dry summers, and in northern Africa and parts of Asia. When a lectotype (type selected amongst original material) was designated, it was assigned to specimen 242.1 of Linnaeus' herbarium, the only V. thapsus specimen. [58] Other bird species have been reported to consume the leaves (Hawaiian goose)[59] or flowers (palila),[60] or to use the plant as a source when foraging for insects (white-headed woodpecker). It is a biennial, spending its first year as a rosette of furry leaves, and producing its flowers in its second year, between June and August. These make the plant a potential reservoir for overwintering pests. In northern Europe, it grows from sea level up to 1,850 m altitude, while in China it grows at 1,400–3,200 m altitude. [1] As for many plants, (Pliny the Elder described it in his Naturalis Historia),[note 5] great mullein was linked to witches,[31] although the relationship remained generally ambiguous, and the plant was also widely held to ward off curses and evil spirits. Names: Aarons Rod, Great Mullein. Name: Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L., Other Names: grande molène, Candelabra, Candlesticks, Devil's-tobacco, bouillon-blanc, tabac du diable Family: Figwort or Snapdragon Family (Scrophulariaceae) General Description: Biennial, reproducing only by seed. [19][68] A study found V. thapsus hosts insects from 29 different families. [79] It was also part of the National Formulary in the United States[75] and United Kingdom. Latin Name : Verbascum thapsus. and V. × thapsi L. (syn. Verbascum thapsus L. [Khardhag or Common mullein], a member of the family Scrophulariaceae, is a famous herb that is found all over Europe, in temperate Asia, in North America and is well-reputed due to its medicinal properties. Constituents: Phenolic glycosides... Dec 06. [9][10][12] G. tetrum and Cucullia verbasci usually have little effect on V. thapsus populations as a whole. It gathers its strengths like this for one year, sometimes two. Dry with care. Wavyleaf Mullein Verbascum sinuatum is a southern European species with (as its common name declares) wavy-edged leaves. Verbascum thapsus (great mullein or common mullein) is a species of mullein native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia, and introduced in the Americas and Australia. Then it grows an impressive stem the height of a person with a yellow blossom on top. Garrett, Kimball L., Raphael, Martin G. and Dixon, Rita D. (1996). Great Mullein is found growing on hedge-banks, by roadsides and on waste ground, more especially on gravel, sand or chalk. The pictures shown on this page were taken in North Wales in July. [10][12] Although not an agricultural threat, its presence can be very difficult completely to eradicate and is especially problematic in overgrazed pastures. Collection: The leaves are collected in mid-summer before they turn brown, dry in the shade. Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is a perennial herb that was first introduced into the United States in the mid-1700s. The flowers are small, and form dense, yellow clusters around the top of the spike. The case of mistaken identification of the rare neophyte Verbascum densiflorum, Dense-flowered Mullein, ... Great Mullein, in Fife. It is now a widely distributed plant, being found all over Europe and in temperate Asia as far as the Himalayas, and in North America it is exceedingly abundant. Viola odorata Violaceae Names: Violet. The seed is said to have arrived on the North American continent in the dirt used as ballast in old sailing vessels. Great Mullein is common and widespread throughout Britain and Ireland except for the far north. Mullein Habitat- Where to Find Mullein. The specific epithet thapsus means 'from Thapsus', an ancient (now ruined) village near Carthage, in Sicily, and so as you might expect this wildflower is indeed very common on Sicily. [56] Because of this, and because the plant is an extremely prolific seed bearer (each plant produces hundreds of capsules, each containing up to 700+ seeds,[19] with a total up to 180,000[9][10] or 240,000[12] seeds), it remains in the soil seed bank for extended periods of time, and can sprout from apparently bare ground,[10] or shortly after forest fires long after previous plants have died. B. [12] Its population pattern typically consists of an ephemeral adult population followed by a long period of dormancy as seeds. Common name: Great Mullein Latin name: Verbascum thapsus Other names: Common Mullein, Candlewick, Feltwort, Hare s Beard, Blanket Mullein, Quaker Rouge Family: Scrophulariaceae, Figwort family Habitat: Grows best in dry, sandy and chalky soils. A survey of town and country walls in Easter Ross. In the eastern part of its range in China, it is, however, only reported to grow up to 1.5 m tall. The species' chromosome number is 2n = 36. [63], Because it cannot compete with established plants, great mullein is no longer considered a serious agricultural weed and is easily crowded out in cultivation,[19] except in areas where vegetation is sparse to begin with, such as Californian semi-desertic areas of the eastern Sierra Nevada. [80] Native Americans and American colonists lined their shoes with leaves from the plant to keep out the cold. The five stamens are of two types, with the three upper stamens being shorter, their filaments covered by yellow or whitish hairs, and having smaller anthers, while the lower two stamens have glabrous filaments and larger anthers. [12] Ground herbicides, like tebuthiuron, are also effective, but recreate bare ground and require repeated application to prevent regrowth. ), the Great Mullein, is a widely distributed plant, being found all over Europe and in temperate Asia as far as the Himalayas, and in North America is exceedingly abundant as a naturalized weed in the eastern States. [25][29], V. thapsus is known by a variety of names. asperulum (Scrophulariaceae) two new records for the flora of Iran", "List of alien species recognized to be established in Japan or found in the Japanese wild (as of October 27, 2004)", "Common Mullein—the Roadside Torch Parade", "An Evolutionary Approach to Understanding the Biology of Invasions: Local Adaptation and General-Purpose Genotypes in the Weed Verbascum thapsus", "Habitat requirements of central European bees and the problems of partial habitats", "Maintenance Behavior of the American Goldfinch", "Numbers and types of arthropods overwintering on common mullein, Verbascum thapsus L. (Scrophulariaceae), in a central Washington fruit-growing region", "HOSTS – a Database of the World's Lepidopteran Hostplants", JLindquist.com: webpage with pictures of tall specimens, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Verbascum_thapsus&oldid=999782674, Plants used in traditional Native American medicine, Articles with Swedish-language sources (sv), Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia indefinitely move-protected pages, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License, Second-year plant starting to flower, with a dead stem of the previous year, behind left, This page was last edited on 11 January 2021, at 23:04. In such ecological contexts, it crowds out native herbs and grasses; its tendency to appear after forest fires also disturbs the normal ecological succession. [66], Despite not being an agricultural weed in itself, it hosts a number of insects and diseases, including both pests and beneficial insects. [10], Phytochemicals in Verbascum thapsus flowers and leaves include saponins, polysaccharides, mucilage, flavonoids, tannins, iridoid and lignin glycosides, and essential oils. The specific epithet thapsus had been first used by Theophrastus (as Θάψος, Thapsos)[14] for an unspecified herb from the Ancient Greek settlement of Thapsos, near modern Syracuse, Sicily,[14][15] though it is often assimilated to the ancient Tunisian city of Thapsus. It prefers dry sandy soil, but can be found in a variety of well-drained soils in meadows and forest gaps. There are several Mullein species, but Great Mullein truly deserves its common name because it can grow to a height of two metres, although little more than half that height is more usual. Mullein is an invasive herb now considered naturalized to many countries. Photos and Pictures . oreophilum and Verbascum cheiranthifolium var. [19] Great mullein rarely establishes on new grounds without human intervention because its seeds do not disperse very far. Edible parts of Great Mullein: An aromatic, slightly bitter tea can be made by infusing the dried leaves in boiling water for 5 - 10 minutes. Part Used: Dried leaves and … A white-flowered form, V. thapsus f. candicans, is known to occur. Great Mullein is a plant of dry, sunny places including coastal sand dunes. Some of the more whimsical ones included "hig candlewick", "indian rag weed", "bullicks lungwort", "Adams-rod", "hare's-beard" and "ice-leaf". Common mullein threatens natural meadows and forest openings, where it adapts easily to a wide variety of site conditions. Sweet Violet. [37] Vernacular names include innumerable references to the plant's hairiness: "woolly mullein", "velvet mullein" or "blanket mullein",[32][38] "beggar's blanket", "Moses' blanket", "poor man's blanket", "Our Lady's blanket" or "old man's blanket",[31][34][39] and "feltwort", and so on ("flannel" is another common generic name). [2] The plant's leaves, in addition to the seeds, have been reported to contain rotenone, although quantities are unknown. Habitat Information Great mullein, a native biennial, is most frequently found on calcareous, free draining soils in rough grasslands and waste ground. into the United States as an herbal or ornamental plant. The flowers turn brown with moisture & become in effective. [55], A given flower is open only for a single day, opening before dawn and closing in the afternoon. The individual yellow flowers are typically 25mm across but, unlike foxgloves, the lower flowers do not necessarily open first. Names: Aarons Rod, Great Mullein. The 1630 number in Mitch may be a typo: the beginning of the 18th century is cited in other sources. In New Zealand Mullein is a naturalised weed which favours poor, stony, disturbed ground and dry soil and is often to be found growing on roadsides. Family: Scrophulariaceae family of plants (as in Snapdragon). Habitat; Similar Species; Related Links. It has the ability to grow in a vast range of habitats but prefers well-lit and disturbed soils, helping to enable its appearance soon after the ground receives light. Animals rarely graze it because of its irritating hairs, and liquid herbicides require surfactants to be effective, as the hair causes water to roll off the plant, much like the lotus effect. Habitat: Mullein is native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia, and has been introduced medicinally to the Americas and Australia. Verbascum Thapsus, the great mullein or common mullein, is a species of mullein native to Europe, northern Africa, and Asia, and introduced in the Americas and Australia. We hope that you have found this information helpful. The flowering period of V. thapsus lasts from June to August in most of its range, extending to September or October in warmer climates. Once established, it grows more vigorously than many native herbs and shrubs, and … Great Mullein is found growing on hedge-banks, by roadsides and on waste ground, most often on gravel, sand or chalk. Widely distributed plant, being found all over Europe and in temperate Asia as far as the Himalayas, and in North America it is exceedingly abundant. [42], Verbascum thapsus has a wide native range including Europe, northern Africa and Asia, from the Azores and Canary Islands east to western China, north to the British Isles, Scandinavia and Siberia, and south to the Himalayas. Mullein, Aaron’s rod Verbascum thapsus is also known as Great Mullein or flannel Mullein. The flowers are almost sessile, with very short pedicels (2 mm, 0.08 in). Category : Terrestrial Plants Description : Biennial with a conspicuous, single upright stem growing 0.5 – 2 m tall First year mullein plants are low-growing rosettes of bluish gray-green, felt – like leaves that range from 10-30 cm in length and 2.5-13 cm in width Bolted … The leaves of the Great Mullein are hairy, giving this plant a downy white appearance. Great Mullein has been used as an alternative medicine for centuries, and in many countries throughout the world, the value of Great Mullein as a proven medicinal herb is now backed by scientific evidence. The second-year plants normally produce a single unbranched stem, usually 1–2 m tall. Verbascum depending on nomenclatural choices) alongside species such as Verbascum nigrum (black or dark mullein), Verbascum lychnitis (white mullein) and Verbascum sinuatum (wavy-leaved mullein).[21][22][23][24]. They are native to Europe and Asia, with the highest species diversity in the Mediterranean. [57] The seeds are generally too small for birds to feed on,[11] although the American goldfinch has been reported to consume them. Great Mullein is found growing on hedge-banks, by roadsides and on waste ground, most often on gravel, sand or chalk. [9] Useful insects are also hosted by great mullein, including predatory mites of the genera Galendromus, Typhlodromus and Amblyseius, the minute pirate bug Orius tristicolor[67] and the mullein plant bug (Campylomma verbasci). Habitat: Native to Britain, Europe and parts of Asia. Its small, yellow flowers are densely grouped on a tall stem, which grows from a large rosette of leaves. [19] Flowers are self-fecundating and protogynous (with female parts maturing first),[19] and will self-pollinate if they have not been pollinated by insects during the day. [7] All occur in Eurasia,[7] and three, V. × kerneri Fritsch, V. × pterocaulon Franch. Research indicates some of the uses as analgesic, antihistaminic, anti … [80], Roman soldiers are said to have dipped the plant stalks in grease for use as torches. [35][36], In the 19th century it had well over 40 different common names in English alone. The yellow, candle-like flower spikes of Great mullein can reach up to 2m in height, making this an impressive plant of dry and grassy ground, including gardens, waste ground and roadside verges. [31] Topical application of various V. thapsus-based preparations was recommended for the treatment of warts,[77] boils, carbuncles, hemorrhoids, and chilblains, amongst others. Mullein is an alien, naturalized, biennial herb. [10] After flowering and seed release, the stem and fruits usually persist in winter,[11] drying into dark brown, stiff structures of densely packed, ovoid-shaped, and dry seed capsules. [62], Seed of Verbascum thapsus has been recorded from part of the Cromer Forest Bed series and at West Wittering in Sussex from some parts of the Ipswichian interglacial layers. Mullein or "mullein leaf" often refers to the leaves of Verbascum thapsus, the great or common mullein, which is frequently used in herbal medicine. (In some field guides this species is referred to as Common Mullein.). [2] It has been used to make dyes and torches. [67], Other insects commonly found on great mullein feed exclusively on Verbascum species in general or V. thapsus in particular. By 1818, it had begun spreading so much that Amos Eaton thought it was a native plant. Great mullein is a commonly used domestic herbal remedy, valued for its efficacy in the treatment of pectoral complaints[4]. [5][43][44] In northern Europe, it grows from sea level up to 1,850 m altitude,[4] while in China it grows at 1,400–3,200 m altitude. [31][34][41] The name "velvet dock" or "mullein dock" is also recorded, where "dock" is a British name applied to any broad-leaved plant. Sow a small pinch of seeds about 18 inches apart and 1/16 inch deep in ordinary, well-drained soil, toward the back of the border or bed. Its analgesic properties are also widely reported, and there have been cough mixtures based on mulleins. [12] Goats and chickens have also been proposed to control mullein. This is a reference to the hairy surfaces of the leaves, stems and bracts of this mullein. The great mullein thrives on open, sun-scorched areas, rocks, banks and barriers. giganteum, the hairs are densely white tomentose, and lower leaves strongly decurrent. [note 4][9][49] In 1839 it was already reported in Michigan and in 1876, in California. 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