Common Mullein
Broadleaf weed
Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is a tall, wooly biennial weed introduced from Europe and Asia and now found across the United States. Gardeners and growers notice it because of its large fuzzy leaves in the first year and its dramatic flowering spike in the second, along with its ability to colonize bare and disturbed ground quickly.
How to identify it
In its first year, common mullein forms a low rosette of large, pale gray-green leaves covered in soft, dense hairs that give the plant a felt-like, wooly feel. In its second year, it sends up a single stout, unbranched stalk that can reach 5 to 10 feet tall, topped with a crowded spike of five-petaled yellow flowers. The leaves are broad, oval, and taper toward the base, growing largest at the bottom and smaller up the stem. It grows from a deep, stout taproot.
Where it grows
Common mullein thrives in dry, sunny, disturbed sites such as roadsides, fields, pastures, gravel areas, fence lines, and neglected garden beds. It prefers open ground with poor or compacted soil and is common on land that has been recently cleared, overgrazed, or left bare. It spreads entirely by seed, and a single plant can produce tens of thousands of seeds that remain viable in the soil for many decades.
Why it is a problem
Common mullein competes with desirable plants and forage for light, moisture, and space, and its large rosettes can shade out young seedlings. Its extremely long-lived seed bank makes established stands hard to eliminate, so infestations tend to return year after year on the same site. The plant is generally unpalatable to livestock and is often left behind in grazed pastures, allowing it to spread further.
How to manage it
Because mullein reproduces only by seed, the most effective approach is to remove plants before they flower and set seed. Hand pulling or digging works well, especially when the soil is moist, since lifting the taproot prevents regrowth; first-year rosettes are easiest to remove. Cutting or mowing the flower stalk before seeds mature reduces spread, and clipped seed heads should be bagged and removed rather than left on the ground. Prevention is key: keep soil covered with mulch, maintain dense, healthy turf or vigorous groundcover, avoid overgrazing, and reseed bare or disturbed patches promptly so mullein seedlings have less open ground to establish.
Commonly confused with
First-year rosettes are sometimes confused with lamb's ear (Stachys byzantina) because both have soft, silvery, hairy leaves, though lamb's ear stays low and spreads outward. Mullein can also be mistaken for other broadleaf rosette weeds before its distinctive tall flowering spike appears.
General guidance for US lawns and gardens, focused on prevention and non-chemical control. For a confirmed identification and options specific to your area, contact your local Cooperative Extension office. Page updated Aug 4, 2026.