skip to main content

My Verbascum Are Dying. Who Knows How to Grow Verbascum?

15 years ago

I'm not having any luck with the 3 Mullein Sugar Plum Verbascum that I ordered in the mail this spring. They grew, bloomed well, and then turned black and now they look dead.

I live in Zone 6 and I need some tips from those of you who have good luck with Verbascum. What kind of growing conditions do they like? What kind of soil, light, drainage, etc do they need?

I'm really bummed out because they were such pretty little plants.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (10)

mikeygraz
15 years ago
I used to live near Dayton, OH and with the soils we have in SW Ohio (very high clay content) its often difficult to get the drainage required to grow verbascum long-term, in my experience. They like lean, gritty, well-drained soil - they are great in rock gardens. In my garden our clay would just become saturated in the spring and winter months, which would kill mine off.

The spot that mine thrived, alongside with lavender and thyme was alongside our front walkway and our driveway - it was hot and full sun there, and to make it worse - they backfilled with almost pure sand instead of topsoil!! I was pretty annoyed at first, but tried out the aforementioned species and they just thrived in the quick-draining sandy substrate. Verbascums don't like soggy roots - that'll be the death of them. If you want to grow them I'd recommend mixing some sand and pea gravel into the soil all around them - even setting the rootball on a couple inches of pea gravel for drainage. Give them full sun. Hope that helps.
~Mike
greylady_gardener
15 years ago
I got some verbascum in a trade last year. It bloomed and I just loved it. It started turning brown and dying so I posted about what to do. It turns out that verbascum can be (not sure if all are) biennial. So I saved the seeds and you should see how many plants I have now!! I winter sowed them, and I think they all sprouted. Hopw that helps some.
gg
Related Discussions
The Verbascum has arrived!
Q
Comments (9)
Stage Rat, The common name for the Lynchnis is Flower of Jove, or Flower of Jupiter. The foliage is actually more silvery than in the photo and has a slight furry texture - a bit like Lamb's Ear, but not as much. Wishfulthinking, It grows from 12 to 18 inches in height, and has only one flush of flowers, but they do last for 2 to three weeks and there's lots. The butterflies love them and so do the hummingbird moths. The foliage is great and will keep it's appearance all summer. Looks really beat-up in the spring, but once it starts to grow, it's beautiful. I have it edging this particular garden. This is one of the end clumps. I did not collect many seeds from it last year as there was very little interest, but this year I think I'll get more.
...See More
Verbascum
Q
Comments (28)
I have several verbascums and love them. They are short, and hardy in our tough winters. But they don't seem biennial, perhaps it's because I deadhead, but I've had some for at least 4 years. I had the wild common mullein seed in my gardens, but I don't like them much. I think you need to get a named variety. Mine would get huge, but only ever have a few flowers blooming at once, never a big blazing inflorescence. It was disappointing, seeing how large they got that they didn't bloom more prolifically.
...See More
Verbascum- going overboard as usual
Q
Comments (27)
I am trying v.pulverulentum (another hoary=leaved monster)...and have fond memories of v.olympicum. Have not grown Bombyciferum and actively avoiding v.thapsus. My recollection is that this genus is quite promiscuous with a fair bit of hybridising...so I will look forward to the results of verbascum year. It is a rare Brit native which is the most unknown (to me) so the large flowered twiggy mullein, v.virgatum will be watched with interest. The impermanence of these plants is actually quite a plus...and any plants which do well for bees are always top of my lists, these days.
...See More
Info on Verbascum Phoeniceum
Q
Comments (5)
I don't sow verbascums direct but in a 4inch pot. They germinate very quickly, growing from a tiny cotyledon to quite a healthy little plantlet in a month or so after germination - but still small enough to separate and transplant without causing too much of a setback. They can stay in the pots all winter (which can look alarming once the foliage dies back in November/December). Keeping them under cover prevents winter rainfall being an issue (although I don't get much of that here in the east) and although they are not terribly happy in wet clay, verbascums are nothing like as fussy as penstemons, say, which really hate wet winter soil. They make enormous fat roots very rapidly indeed - and take up quite a bit of space - not certain that the HoS approach is the best in this case, but thinning out the seedlings will allow enough space for each rosette (although they are nothing like as huge and hoary as V.nigrum or v. bombyciferum say). Try a summer sowing of seed, as you would for foxgloves or forget-me-nots - they don't need chilling and will grow to a good size to overwinter, either under cover or outside. Just normal drainage will do - they hate to sit in standing water . Yep, I have had a lot of seeds passing through my hands - many consigned to oblivion...but it so happens that this is a 'verbascum year' with a number of seedlings in production.
...See More
prairiemoon2 z6b MA
15 years ago
Verbascum Violette has grown well, reseeded and come back every spring for the last three years, in a clay/loam soil. It isn't the best drainage, but it is fairly dry near tree roots and it blooms fine in less than full sun too. Can't speak to other Verbascums...
DYH
15 years ago
This is a picture of 3 year old verbascum (3 plants). Every year after they bloom, I think they've dried up and died. But, they come back in the exact same place. I do deadhead mine, so I don't find any offspring around. I'm in z7.

Cameron

{{gwi:255247}}
greylady_gardener
15 years ago
Cameron--what verbascum is that in your pic? It looks like southern charm which I planted this year. I have three nice healthy seedlings out in the garden and can't wait to see them flower.
gg
DYH
15 years ago
GG -- if you say so! LOL

I lost the labels, but I think you're right.

Cameron
ponderinstuff
Original Author
15 years ago
Wow! Those are beautiful verbascum. That only makes me more upset that mine aren't doing well. What is your secret??? Please give me some tips.

Also, what are the purple plants in the background?
highalttransplant
15 years ago
I planted a couple of 'Southern Charm' last year, and after they bloomed this spring, they died back all of the way to the ground. Now they are putting out fresh foliage. Maybe yours will do the same.

Bonnie
DYH
15 years ago
I noticed new, green foliage coming up again this weekend.
Mary Dragone
3 years ago
last modified: 3 years ago
Sun not too much water, mine have come back 5 years in a row.

Related Stories

PLANTING IDEAS Want a More Colorful, Natural Garden? Try a Perennial Meadow

Spend less time tending and more time taking in the sights by improving on Victorian and prairie garden designs

CURB APPEAL 7 Ways to Create a Neighborly Front Yard

By June Scott Design

Foster community spirit by setting up your front porch, paths and yard for social interaction

FOLIAGE The Right Touch: 13 Soft, Fuzzy Plants for Gardens and Pots

By Marianne Lipanovich

Brush a hand on velvety foliage or fluffy plumes for a sensory garden experience beyond sight and smell

PLANTING IDEAS Big Foliage for Small Spaces

By Jay Sifford Garden Design

Use bold, large-leaved plants to create intriguing contrast in a garden where they’re least expected

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Veronica

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Consider adaptable Veronica, or speedwell, for its colorful blooms, butterfly-drawing power and low maintenance requirements

GARDENING GUIDES Flower Spikes Nail Impact in Summer Gardens

Get to the point in your landscape with spiky flowers and plants that create excitement and drama

Sponsored

More Discussions

A Year of Bulbs

81

I hope this is not a foreshadowing of things to come this season...

7

Hellebore question and opinions

8

Winter Blooming Heath

16

Super dark daylilies??

0