Verbascum chaixii 'Album'
nettle-leaved mullein
Overview
Verbascum chaixii 'Album' is a short-lived perennial forming a basal rosette of gray-green, nettle-shaped leaves 4-8 inches (10-20 cm) long, from which flower spikes rise 30-36 inches (75-90 cm) tall. The cultivar 'Album' carries white flowers about 1 inch (2.5 cm) across, each with a center of mauve-purple filament hairs, arranged along slender, sometimes branched spikes. Bloom runs through early and midsummer, opening from the base of the spike upward. The species form has yellow flowers; 'Album' differs only in flower color. Plants flower in their second year from seed and persist for two to four years before declining. V. chaixii self-seeds where spent spikes remain, though seedlings of the cultivar may revert to yellow. The rosette stays partly evergreen in mild winters. Leaves are sometimes stripped by mullein moth caterpillars in early summer. The plant grows in full sun on lean, sharply drained soil and tolerates drought, heat, and alkaline ground once established. Rich or wet soil produces soft growth and shortens the plant's life. The deep taproot makes established plants difficult to transplant.
Native Range
Verbascum chaixii is native to central and southern Europe, where it grows in dry meadows, rocky slopes, and open woodland margins. 'Album' is a selected garden form of this species.Suggested Uses
Planted in gravel gardens, dry sunny borders, and naturalistic meadow plantings, spaced 18-24 inches (45-60 cm) apart. The pale spikes are set among lower mounding perennials in mixed borders. Suited to wildlife and pollinator plantings on poor soils.How to Identify
Appearance
Size & Dimensions
Height2'6" - 3'
Width/Spread1'6" - 2'
Reaches mature size in approximately 2 years
Colors
Bloom Information
Flowers open from early summer into midsummer, June through July in most temperate gardens, progressing upward along the spike over four to six weeks. Cutting spent spikes can prompt a smaller second flush of side shoots in late summer. Seed ripens by early autumn.
Detailed Descriptions
Flower Description
white with purple centerFoliage Description
gray-greenGrowing Conditions
Sun Requirements
Requires 6-12 hours of direct sunlight daily
• Full Sun: 6+ hours of direct sunlight
• Partial Shade: 3-6 hours of direct sunlight
• Full Shade: Less than 3 hours of direct sunlight
Care & Maintenance
Care Guide
Grow in full sun on poor to average, sharply drained soil; lean ground produces sturdier spikes than rich soil. Water newly set plants through their first summer, after which the deep taproot reaches its own moisture. Stems are generally self-supporting and need staking only on exposed, windy sites. Spent spikes can be left to self-seed or removed to limit spread. Mullein moth caterpillars sometimes defoliate the spikes within days in early summer. Heavy winter wet rots the crown, so sharp drainage matters most in cold months.Pruning
Cut flower spikes back to the basal rosette after bloom to limit self-seeding and encourage side shoots. Old leaves are removed from the rosette in late winter. No other pruning is required.Pruning Schedule
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
summer