Woolly Mullein

Other names

Orange Mullein

Growth habit

Herbaceous

Perennation

Biennial

Native distribution

Europe to C Asia

Biocultural value

In folk medicine, flowers have been used to treat coughs, congestion and tuberculosis

Location

Robison Herb Garden

Source of plant

Cornell Botanic Gardens

Description

Biennial, grey or yellow tomentose. Basal leaves 5-45 x 3-15cm, oblong to broadly elliptic, crenate, sometimes shortly lobed near base; petiole 4-8cm; cauline leaves smaller, upper leaves sessile, sometimes shortly decurrent. Inflorescence 30-200cm, dense, usually simple; flowers in congested clusters of 2-9; corolla 30-55mm diameter, yellow, sometimes pellucid-glandular, exterior stellate tomentose; filaments white-yellow wooly, anterior, filaments glabrous, anthers decurrent., 4-7mm.

USDA Hardiness Zone

7

Special characteristics

medicinal/pharmaceutical