VERBASCUM. 



THE ENGLISH FLOWER GARDEN. 



VERBASCUM. 



853 



introduced they take care of themselves 

 and come year after year like the Foxglove. 

 The finer kinds merit good treatment and 

 free planting in bold groups. 



V. Chaixi, or V. vernale (Nettled-leaved 

 Mullein), is a perennial species, attains 10 

 ft. in height, and when well grown forms 

 a most imposing group. The bright 

 green leaves come up early ; the flowers 

 are large, yellow, with purple filaments, 

 and last a long time. It is a native of 

 Europe. V. Crassifolium, a charming 

 species, with yellowish tomentose 



Verbascum phlomoides. 



woolly leaves and robust spikes of 

 large yellow flowers, is a native of 

 Portugal. V. cupreum is nearly allied 

 to V. phceniceum, hardy, a true perennial 

 with copper-coloured flowers, quaint and 

 interesting, flowering from May to August. 

 V. nigrum, a native of Britain, is pretty, 

 a true perennial like V. Chaixi in flower, 

 but rarely more than 3 ft. high. A hand- 

 some form of it, now grown in gardens, 

 with pure white flowers, is a good plant. 

 South Europe. 



V. olympicum is one of the grandest 

 of the family, the flower-stems in strong 

 specimens attaining 6 to 10 ft. in height, 



the flowers rich yellow, the leaves woolly 

 forming bold rosettes. A biennial from 

 the Orient. V. phceniceum (Purple-leaved 

 Mullein), one of the best perennials for 



Verbascum phoeniceum. 



borders in small gardens, is very variable, 

 there being white, violet, lilac, rose, and 

 purple-flowered varieties, flowering from 

 May to August. S. Europe. 



V. phlomoides is the best of all Mul- 

 leins, varying in height from 5 to 9 ft. 

 according to the richness of soil, its 

 flowers rich yellow opening succession- 

 ally over a prolonged period, the display 

 lasting in beauty nearly the whole season 

 through. It will grow in almost any soil, 

 and should be grouped boldly in pictur- 

 esque ways among shrubs and the larger 

 hardy plants. S. Europe. 



V. pyramidatum (Pyramidal Mullein], 

 from Siberia, with candelabrum - like 

 branches of bright yellow flowers, is a 

 good plant, perennial on warm rich soils, 

 and effective with its towering flowering- 

 stems and huge rosettes of crisped leaves. 



Other Verbascums of interest are mac- 

 rurum, longifolium, virgatum, Blattaria, 

 niveum, Boerhavi, sinuatum, and orientale. 



