Types of Mullein – Hybrid, Purple, or Woolly

Types of Mullein – Hybrid, Purple, or Woolly guide illustration

Choose mullein by habit: a garden hybrid, purple mullein, a giant woolly kind, or common mullein.

Types of Mullein care summary diagram

Choose a garden hybrid, purple mullein, a giant woolly kind, or common mullein

FactorRecommendedAvoid
Mixed peach, pink, or apricot spikes, 2 to 4 feetA garden hybridDo not expect an 8-foot roadside torch
Rose, purple, or white spikesPurple mulleinDo not treat it as yellow common mullein
A huge silver rosette, then a candelabraA giant woolly kindDo not squeeze it into a 12-inch edging strip
A weedy yellow torch on disturbed groundSkip common mullein in a tidy borderDo not plant it as a named hybrid

Know your USDA hardiness zone before you pick a type of verbascum that will take your winter. Type your ZIP below.

2023 USDA ZIP listings (PRISM / USDA-ARS). Find Your USDA Hardiness Zone · Official USDA map.

Read the tag for the habit that changes the job, then pick that kind. [1] A garden hybrid is a short-lived border spike. Common mullein is a weedy biennial that sheds a huge seed crop. [2] It shows up on disturbed open ground, not in a healthy meadow. [3] Nettle-leaved kinds such as Album last longer than the hybrids and are not the woolly roadside plant. [4] If you want an 18-inch peach spike, that is a short hybrid, not a packet of common mullein. Site and watering are on How to Grow Mullein.

Which mullein should I plant?

Pick habit first: a garden hybrid, purple mullein, a giant woolly kind, or skip common mullein in a tidy border.

Is common mullein weedy?

Yes. One plant can shed a huge seed crop. Cut spent spikes, or skip common mullein and grow a garden hybrid.

Browse by kind

Garden hybrids

Southern Charm is the usual mixed peach-pink spike. Jackie is the short hybrid, about 18 inches. Caribbean Crush, Dark Eyes, and Honey Dijon sit here too.

Purple mullein

Violetta is purple mullein (Verbascum phoeniceum) — rose, purple, or white flowers from a smaller green rosette. Temptress Purple is the same group.

Nettle-leaved and dark mullein

Album is nettle-leaved mullein with white flowers and purple centers. Dark mullein is a longer-lived yellow spike. Neither is the woolly roadside torch.

Giant woolly mullein

Broussa is a silver, felted rosette, then a yellow candelabra. Olympian is the same giant-woolly class, with several stems from one rosette.

Common mullein

Great mullein is common mullein, Verbascum thapsus — a weedy yellow torch on disturbed ground. Do not plant it as a tidy border hybrid.

If you want a mixed-color 3-foot spike, buy a garden hybrid — common mullein will not do that job.

FAQ

Is moth mullein in this list?

No. Moth mullein is Verbascum blattaria, a smooth-leaved weedy kind. It is not a card here.

Is Jackie a dwarf hybrid?

Jackie is a short garden hybrid, about 18 inches, with peach-pink flowers. It is not common mullein.

Is Southern Charm a hybrid?

Yes. It is a short-lived mixed-color spike in the garden-hybrid group, not the weedy yellow torch.

Is this the same as lamb's ear?

No. Lamb's ear is a low Stachys mat. Mullein is a rosette, then a tall spike. Fuzzy leaves on a young plant are not enough to name it.

References

  1. [1] Harvest to Table - https://harvesttotable.com/how-to-grow-verbascum-mullein/
  2. [2] NC State Extension Gardener - https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/verbascum-thapsus/
  3. [3] Missouri Department of Conservation - https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/mullein
  4. [4] NC State Extension Gardener - https://plants.ces.ncsu.edu/plants/verbascum/

This note is part of Verbascum Guides.

More type comparisons by plant are gathered in Types of Plants Guides.

Updated: Reviewed by Bosquelle Editors

This guide is written for real gardens, not perfect climates. Results vary with site, season, and plant choice. We draw on multiple sources and practical experience; treat the steps here as honest guidance, not a promise that every bed will behave the same.