Verbascum blattaria Albiflorum seeds - Moth mullein

Verbascum blattaria 'Albiflorum' is the white form of the moth mullein, a botanical species native in Europe. It is a biennial plant that will charm with its delicacy, its spikes of white florets, and its ability to adapt to dry terrains. Its wild aspect brings height, lightness, and movement to the garden. It thrives in sunny locations, whether in a large flower border or in a mass planting, where its bright flowers combine wonderfully with other plants suited to dry soil.

Verbascum blattaria is also known by the common names of Moth Mullein or Flannel Mullein. Like all mulleins, it belongs to the Scrophulariaceae family. It is a species native to Europe, Western Asia, and North Africa. This plant is often found in the wild in dry meadows, along paths, fallow lands, and rocky areas. It prefers sunny and limestone environments, easily establishing itself in open and disturbed habitats. The plant is biennial, meaning it forms a rosette of leaves in the first year before flowering in the second. It can even behave as an annual and flower in the year of sowing, depending on the climate and/or sowing date.

The 'Albiflorum' form stands out with its pure white flowers, clustered in upright spikes. Each flower measures 2.5 to 3 cm in diameter and has five rounded petals, with prominent violet stamens bearing orange anthers. These are pedunculate flowers, well spaced along the stem covered with glandular hairs. The foliage of this white mullein forms a narrow basal rosette composed of lanceolate, dark green leaves, with toothed edges, measuring between 5 and 15 cm long. The lower leaves have petioles, while those on the stem are sessile, smaller, and narrower. The erect, unbranched floral spikes can reach up to 1 m high in rich, moist soil. However, the plant will remain much smaller in poor, dry soil. Flowering occurs from June to September, and after flowering, capsules form containing seeds that readily self-sow in light soils. The moth mullein develops a long taproot that enables it to withstand drought. Plants grown from seed will become self-sufficient more quickly and require less watering.

A graceful plant of open spaces, Verbascum blattaria 'Albiflorum' is a blessing for natural gardens. This undemanding plant will be much more decorative if it benefits from soil that is not too poor with occasional watering during very dry periods. Pair mulleins with hollyhocks, toadflaxes, tall ornamental thistles, and Verbena bonariensis. They are also good companions for clustered rose bushes. It is advisable to surround them with perennials or shrubs to fill the space when they are not in bloom.