Verbascum Royalty - Mullein

Verbascum 'Royalty' is a very compact hybrid mullein. Throughout the summer, it produces short upright spikes of purple-pink flowers above a rosette of wavy, dark green, semi-evergreen leaves. it is drought-resistant and will thrive in well-drained, light, even gravelly soil, perfect at the front of a sunny rockery.

Mulleins belong to the Scrophulariaceae family and are native to arid areas of Eurasia, where they can endure difficult conditions: strong sunlight, poor soil, and episodes of drought. They are fast-growing, short-lived perennials, or biennials, which often perpetuate themselves through self-seeding. They form a clump of low-lying leaves, from which tall, rigid, branched stems rise, bearing cup-shaped flowers with 5 petals.

The 'Royalty' mullein is a unique, extremely compact creation whose spikes only reach 20 or 30 cm (8 or 12in) high, with an equivalent width. However, it is still floriferous and produces lots of beautiful purple-pink flowers on branched stems between June and September. Its deeply veined leaves are a slightly glossy green.

Favouring light and gravelly, preferably neutral or chalky soil, 'Royalty' needs a very well-drained substrate, which will prevent rotting during winter. Mullein has a taproot and doesn't like to be moved, so choose its location carefully to avoid transplanting it later on. While it can tolerate drought, flowering will be more abundant and longer if the soil remains moist. Cutting the flower spikes as they fade will encourage new spikes.

You can associate it with other plants of modest growth, such as 'Kit Cat' catmint and Alpine aster, or place it at the forefront of taller varieties, like Teucrium hircanicum, Alpine cephalary or 'Blauriesin' long-leaved veronica.