VERBASCUM

VERBASCUM is a short-lived, easy-care perennial  that self-seeds.  It is considered a perennial or biennial.  It likes full sun or partial shade.  It blooms June to September, but you can prolong bloom time through September if you deadhead regularly.  You might know it by its common name--MULLEIN.  It comes in various shades of purple, yellow, rose and white.  The name of my verbascum is Caribbean Crush, and it's a luscious color as you can see by the pictures I have posted.  It changes color through the season, from a dark coral, to a light coral and then finally to light yellow.  It can grow anywhere from 3-6 feet, and is about 1 1/2 - 2 feet wide.  It can be planted in either fall or spring.  Make sure you keep it in moist, but not wet, soil, and once established, it is quite drought tolerant.  Plant it in the back of your border since it grows so tall.  In the past years, many new cultivars of verbascum have been introduced.  So, it's best to check out all your choices before buying or ordering.  Local nurseries will have them, but if you want a wider selection, you may have to use a mail-order company.  If you need an easy-care perennial for the back of the bed, verbascum will definitely the bill!