Great Mullein seeds - Verbascum thapsus - Native Wildflower / Herb

Type: Biennial
Approximate height: Up to 2m
Flowering Time: Summer
Site and soil type: Well-drained soil in sun or semi-shade, will not tolerate cold, wet sites
When to sow: Late spring to early autumn
Where to sow: Outside, direct into soil or under cover, into trays, modules or pots.
Packet contents: Approximately 1400 seeds / 0.14g

Great Mullein is also known as Fluffweed, Old Man's Flannel and Velvet Plant, probably due to the lovely very large soft woolly grey-green leaves which appear in its first year.

In the second year a tall flowering stem appears covered in small yellow blooms. These are attractive to bees and other insects including the Mullein Moth which has attractive yellow, black and white caterpillars.

Great Mullein attracts / provides food for the following creatures:

  • Bumblebees & honey bees for pollen
  • Wool carder bees which collect hairs from the leaves for their nests
  • The Mullein moth πŸ› 
  • πŸ¦‡ (RHS) 
  • An "RHS Plants for Pollinators" plant **

All our seed packets include sowing instructions.

Jemima’s Garden seeds are plastic free and reyclable. They’re contained in an inner glassine envelope, (made from pine wood cellulose), and an outer Kraft paper seed packet. Any shipping packaging is also plastic free and recyclable.


Key to symbols:

πŸ› A food plant for the caterpillar

πŸ¦‹ Provides nectar for the adult moth or butterfly

πŸ¦‡ Listed in: Bat Conservation Trust Encouraging bats, A guide for bat-friendly gardening and living

πŸ¦‡ (RHS)  Listed in the RHS Plants for Bats list

** RHS Plants for Pollinators. The RHS Plants for Pollinators mark is only given to plants that support pollinating insects. Find out more at rhs.org.uk/plantsforpollinators

** The Royal Horticultural Society, and its logo, are trade marks of The Royal Horticultural Society (Registered Charity No 222879/SC038262) and used under licence.