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Key characteristics

Family: Scrophulariaceae
Height: 2-4 feet tall
Width: 1-2 feet wide
Flower color: White flowers with dark mauve anthers
Foliage color: Gray-green, lanceolate leaves
Bloom time: Late spring to summer
Light: Full sun to partial shade
Water: Low; drought-tolerant once established
Maintenance: Low; minimal pruning needed
Growing zone: USDA Zones 5-9
Wildlife: Attracts bees and other pollinators

Perennials

Verbascum nigrum var. album

White Velvet Mullein

Verbascum nigrum var. album, commonly known as white velvet mullein, is a memorable perennial native to Europe and Asia. This elegant plant features tall, slender spires adorned with pure white, star-shaped flowers that boast dark mauve anthers at their centers, creating a beautiful contrast against the petals. Its upright form and delicate blooms make it a graceful addition to cottage gardens or wildflower-inspired landscapes.

Blooming from early to midsummer, Verbascum nigrum var.

Light

Full sun to partial shade

Water

Low; drought-tolerant once established

Bloom time

Late spring to summer

Find this plant

Works well in

Borders
Cottage Gardens
Pollinator Gardens
Waterwise Gardens
Cut Flower Gardens

Companion plants

Bergenias · Sedums · Columbines · Lungworts · Daylilies · Japanese anemones

Design tip

Summer flowers carry the middle of the season, so place it where the bed needs color once spring bulbs fade. It takes sun or light shade, which makes it useful along the changing light of a bed edge or a partly shaded border.