Verbascum 'Honey Dijon'
mullein
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- Standard £5.95
This perennial is semi-evergreen so it can lose some of its leaves in winter. In colder regions or more exposed gardens, it may lose them all, but then fresh new growth appears again in spring.
- Position: full sun
- Soil: moderately fertile, moist but well-drained soil
- Rate of growth: average
- Flowering period: July to September
- Hardiness: fully hardy (but short-lived)
With its graceful spikes smothered in clusters of peach and gold flowers featuring a plum-purple eye, Verbascum 'Honey Dijon' is a short-lived perennial that adds vibrant colour to sunny borders and small gardens. Blooming from late spring to late summer when properly deadheaded, its elegant flower stalks rise from a low-growing rosette of dark green leaves. This compact, semi-evergreen plant thrives as a vertical accent at the front of borders, and is hardy and bee-friendly.
Apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch around the base of the plant in autumn to protect from winter extremes, taking care not to cover the crown. Stake in spring with bamboo canes or twiggy prunings before the flowers appear. Mullein moth caterpillars can be a problem, so pick off the insects in early June as soon as they appear. Remove faded flower spikes.
It is worth keeping in mind that these plants are mainly biennial, so although they usually self-seed freely, the plant will only live for two years.
It is worth keeping in mind that these plants are mainly biennial, so although they usually self-seed freely, the plant will only live for two years.