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I'm starting a new series of threads,
, picking a family of flowers and hoping to share whatever we know about them - how to grow them, photos, history, even seeds! Anything really!
My letter for tomorrow is V so I thought I'd start with Verbascum also know as Mullein.
They are biennial or short lived perennials, tall and stately, good for bees and country gardens. Said to be easy to grow from seed and self seed themselves freely.
Before the advent of cotton, the down from their grey-green leaves was used as wicks in lamps - hence their common name of Candlewick plant. This I must try
Mullein grows in acidic soil with low fertility - its an indicator plant, telling you that you need to make your soil more alkaline.
As a cut flower, its not long lasting but it can be dried for flower arrangements.
Can be propagated by root cuttings.
Slugs don't like the grey furry leaves.
They can be sown in the autumn and should flower next year. Guess what I'm going to do tomorrow
Please share your Verbascum stories and photos. the more I read about this family, the more I want to know!
, picking a family of flowers and hoping to share whatever we know about them - how to grow them, photos, history, even seeds! Anything really!My letter for tomorrow is V so I thought I'd start with Verbascum also know as Mullein.
They are biennial or short lived perennials, tall and stately, good for bees and country gardens. Said to be easy to grow from seed and self seed themselves freely.
Before the advent of cotton, the down from their grey-green leaves was used as wicks in lamps - hence their common name of Candlewick plant. This I must try
Mullein grows in acidic soil with low fertility - its an indicator plant, telling you that you need to make your soil more alkaline.
As a cut flower, its not long lasting but it can be dried for flower arrangements.
Can be propagated by root cuttings.
Slugs don't like the grey furry leaves.
They can be sown in the autumn and should flower next year. Guess what I'm going to do tomorrow
Please share your Verbascum stories and photos. the more I read about this family, the more I want to know!
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