Verbascum 'Christo's Yellow Lightning'
mullein 'Christo's Yellow Lightning'
A vigorous, upright biennial or short-lived perennial, with a rosette of long, wavy-edged, silver-grey leaves at the base, and leaves alternating part-way up the stem and decreasing in length. Produces large, branching spikes of butter yellow, saucer-shaped flowers in summer
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Size
Ultimate height
1–1.5 metresTime to ultimate height
2–5 yearsUltimate spread
0.5–1 metresGrowing conditions
Moisture
Well–drainedpH
Alkaline, NeutralColour & scent
Stem | Flower | Foliage | Fruit | |
Spring | Green Grey Silver | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Summer | Yellow | Green Grey Silver | ||
Autumn | Green Grey Silver | |||
Winter |
Position
- Full sun
Aspect
South–facing or West–facing
Exposure
Exposed or Sheltered Hardiness
H6Botanical details
- Family
- Scrophulariaceae
- Native to GB / Ireland
- No
- Foliage
- Deciduous
- Habit
- Columnar upright
- Genus
Verbascum can be annuals, biennials, perennials or subshrubs mostly with hairy leaves and 5-petalled, saucer-shaped flowers
- Name status
Accepted
How to grow
Cultivation
Grows best in poor, slightly alkaline soils in full sun
Propagation
Propagate by seed
Suggested planting locations and garden types
- Architectural
- Cottage and informal garden
- Flower borders and beds
- Wall side borders
Pruning
Remove flower spikes when faded
Pests
May be susceptible to moth caterpillars and figwort weevil
Diseases
May be susceptible to powdery mildews, though this cultivar has some resistance
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