Black mullein

Verbascum nigrum, the black mullein or dark mullein, is a species of biennial or short-lived perennial herbaceous plant in the mullein genus Verbascum, native to dry open sites in temperate Europe. It grows to 0.5–1.5 m (1.6–4.9 ft).

Verbascum nigrum forms clumps of leaves from which arise multiple tall stems of yellow flowers with purple stamens, blooming over a long period in summer and early autumn. It is cultivated as an ornamental plant, and prefers a calcareous or neutral soil in full sun.

Fossil record

A tentative seed identification of V. nigrum has been made from substage II of the Hoxnian interglacial at Clacton in Essex, UK.

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