Verbascum thapsus (great mullein)

Japanese name: ビロードモウズイカ （天鵞絨毛蕊花）
Scientific name: Verbascum thapsus

[Overview]
A biennial 1–2 m tall.
The whole plant is densely covered with grayish-white woolly hairs.
There are basal leaves and stem leaves; the basal leaves are obovate, 10–30 cm long, remain at flowering time, and have rounded teeth on the margin.
The leaves on the stem are simple and alternate.
A raceme 20–50 cm long at the stem tip densely bears flowers 1.5–2 cm across.
The corolla is 5-lobed and yellow.
Of the 5 stamens, 3 are short, and their filaments are densely covered with long white hairs.
The fruit is a spherical capsule covered with grayish-white hairs.

[History]
Introduced in the Meiji era, it has become naturalized in various places.

[Uses]
The leaves and flowers are used medicinally.

[Cultivation]
Propagate from seed.
It has a taproot and dislikes transplanting, so sow directly where it is to grow, or sow in plastic pots and then plant out.
It prefers a sunny, airy, well-drained site.
Rainfall is sufficient unless summer brings a long spell of sunny weather and the soil becomes severely dry.
Fertilizer is not particularly necessary if plenty of basal fertilizer is applied.
Pests and diseases include damping-off and pyralid moths.

[Notes]
The seeds are said to remain viable for a very long time, some retaining the ability to germinate for more than 100 years.

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