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Common Name: Moth Mullein

General Information

Verbascum blattaria is a Biennial/Perennial up to 1.00 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a source of materials.

Known Hazards

None known

Botanical References

,

Range

Europe, including Britain, from the Netherlands south and east to N. Africa, west and central Asia.

Habitat

Waste places in damp ground. Rather rare and not persisting, it is possibly an introduced species[].

Properties

Habit	Biennial/Perennial
Height	1.00 m
Pollinators	Insects, Self
Self-fertile	Yes
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

An easily grown plant, it succeeds in most well-drained soils, including dry ones, and prefers a sunny position[, ]. Dislikes shade[].
Plants are hardy to about -20°c[].
Hybridizes with other members of this genus, though the progeny are usually sterile[].

Edible Uses

None known

Medicinal

None known

Other Uses

The plant repels insects, it is used indoors to repel moths and cockroaches[].

Propagation

Seed - sow late spring to early summer in a cold frame and only just cover the seed[]. Germination usually takes place within 2 - 3 weeks. When they are large enough to handle, prick out the seedlings into individual pots and plant them out in late summer. The seed has a long viability[].