Pollinator plant

great mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Pollinator recipe
Sign in to use recipes

Common names

65 names · 39 languages
EnglishYour language
+14 more namesShow fewer names
Other languages (38)
Dutch
French
Arabic
  • بوصير شائع[2]
Asturian
Belarusian
  • Дзіванна звычайная[2]
Catalan
  • trepó joanal[2]
Chinese (Simplified)
Chinese (Traditional)
Czech
  • divizna malokvětá[2]
Danish
  • Filtbladet Kongelys[2]
  • Filtet kongelys[2]
Estonian
  • üheksavägine[2]
Finnish
  • ukontulikukka[2]
Galician
German
  • Kleinblütige Königskerze[1][2]
Hungarian
  • Molyhos ökörfarkkóró[2]
Irish
  • Coinnle Muire[2]
Italian
Japanese
  • シロバナビロードモウズイカ[2]
  • ビロードモウズイカ[2]
Korean
  • 우단담배풀[2]
Latvian
  • Parastais deviņvīruspēks[2]
Limburgish
  • Dónderpele[2]
Lithuanian
  • Smulkiažiedė tūbė[2]
Mvskoke
  • wakv enhece[2]
Navajo
  • Bįįhyiljáa’í[2]
  • Nátʼostsoh[2]
Norwegian
  • filtkongslys[2]
Ojibwe
  • waabooyaabag[2]
  • Waabooyaanibag (Nookaadiziiganzh)[2]
Polish
  • Dziewanna drobnokwiatowa[2]
Portuguese
Romani
Russian
  • Коровяк обыкновенный[2]
Slovak
  • divozel malokvetý[2]
Slovenian
  • drobnocvetni lučnik[2]
Spanish
Swedish
  • kungsljus[2]
  • ljust kungsljus[2]
Thai
  • มัลลินธรรมดา[2]
Turkish
Ukrainian
  • Дивина ведмеже вухо[2]
Welsh
  • Pannog felen[2]
Sources & name notes (4)

Names recorded in our plant catalogue and botanical sources, grouped by language. Usage can vary by region.

Catalogue language labels are reviewed separately from botanical source records.

Numbered references identify names recorded by an external source. Other names are from our plant catalogue.

[1] Verbascum thapsus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy. This is a common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Aaron's rod — results[0].names[58]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Kleinblütige Königskerze — results[0].names[13]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • beggar's blanket — results[0].names[64]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • camper's helper — results[0].names[19]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Charmin of the woods — results[0].names[16]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • common mullein — results[0].names[10]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • cowboy's toilet paper — results[0].names[12]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • fisherman's friend — results[0].names[17]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • flannel mullein — results[0].names[11]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Flannelleaf — results[0].names[47]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • great mullein — results[0].names[1]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • hag's taper — results[0].names[66]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • old man's flannel — results[0].names[65]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • quaker's rouge — results[0].names[63]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • toilet paper plant — results[0].names[15]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Velvet-Dock — results[0].names[48]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • woolly mullein — results[0].names[9]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Wooly Mullein — results[0].names[40]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Gordolobo común — results[0].names[28]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Hierba del Paño — results[0].names[49]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Verbasco — results[0].names[55]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • bouillon blanc — results[0].names[8]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • molène bouillon-blanc — results[0].names[7]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Molène thapsus — results[0].names[41]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • tasso barbasso — results[0].names[6]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • koningskaars — results[0].names[20]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Cachapeiro — results[0].names[34]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
[2] Verbascum thapsus — iNaturalist taxon names ↗

Community-curated iNaturalist taxonomy; common-name attestation, not an independent botanical determination.

Source records
  • Aaron's rod — results[17].names[58]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Kleinblütige Königskerze — results[17].names[13]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • beggar's blanket — results[17].names[64]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • camper's helper — results[17].names[19]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Charmin of the woods — results[17].names[16]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • common mullein — results[17].names[10]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • cowboy's toilet paper — results[17].names[12]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • fisherman's friend — results[17].names[17]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • flannel mullein — results[17].names[11]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Flannelleaf — results[17].names[47]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • great mullein — results[17].names[1]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • hag's taper — results[17].names[66]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • old man's flannel — results[17].names[65]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • quaker's rouge — results[17].names[63]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • toilet paper plant — results[17].names[15]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Velvet-Dock — results[17].names[48]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • woolly mullein — results[17].names[9]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Wooly Mullein — results[17].names[40]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Gordolobo común — results[17].names[28]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Hierba del Paño — results[17].names[49]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Verbasco — results[17].names[55]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • bouillon blanc — results[17].names[8]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • molène bouillon-blanc — results[17].names[7]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Molène thapsus — results[17].names[41]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • tasso barbasso — results[17].names[6]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • koningskaars — results[17].names[20]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Cachapeiro — results[17].names[34]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • trepó joanal — results[17].names[3]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • ukontulikukka — results[17].names[4]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • ビロードモウズイカ — results[17].names[5]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • waabooyaabag — results[17].names[14]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • divizna malokvětá — results[17].names[18]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • üheksavägine — results[17].names[21]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Molyhos ökörfarkkóró — results[17].names[22]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Коровяк обыкновенный — results[17].names[23]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Dónderpele — results[17].names[24]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Verbasco — results[17].names[25]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Filtet kongelys — results[17].names[26]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Chopo — results[17].names[27]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • filtkongslys — results[17].names[29]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Smulkiažiedė tūbė — results[17].names[30]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Dziewanna drobnokwiatowa — results[17].names[31]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Waabooyaanibag (Nookaadiziiganzh) — results[17].names[32]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • シロバナビロードモウズイカ — results[17].names[33]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • kungsljus — results[17].names[35]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • 毛蕊花 — results[17].names[36]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • 毛蕊花 — results[17].names[37]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • ljust kungsljus — results[17].names[38]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • divozel malokvetý — results[17].names[39]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • 우단담배풀 — results[17].names[42]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Дивина ведмеже вухо — results[17].names[43]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Дзіванна звычайная — results[17].names[44]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • mœrga — results[17].names[45]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Nátʼostsoh — results[17].names[46]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Bįįhyiljáa’í — results[17].names[50]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • بوصير شائع — results[17].names[51]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Parastais deviņvīruspēks — results[17].names[52]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • drobnocvetni lučnik — results[17].names[53]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Coinnle Muire — results[17].names[54]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • มัลลินธรรมดา — results[17].names[56]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Kan bakri — results[17].names[57]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • wakv enhece — results[17].names[59]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Pannog felen — results[17].names[60]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Filtbladet Kongelys — results[17].names[61]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Burunca — results[17].names[62]; taxon id 59029; Verbascum thapsus.
[3] Verbascum thapsus — Plant Toolbox common names ↗

NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox; English common names in a United States horticultural reference.

Source records
  • Common Mullein — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(1); heading: Common Name(s):; Verbascum thapsus.
  • Woolly Mullein — ul#common_names > li:nth-of-type(2); heading: Common Name(s):; Verbascum thapsus.
[4] Royal Horticultural Society — common names ↗

Names retained from the referenced botanical profile or table.

Source records
  • great mullein — Page 3, column 1, row top 502 pt; common-name cell after Verbascum thapsus.; Verbascum thapsus.
Plant references

Source-backed information

Published observations for this plant. Each reference supports the information beside it.

Botanical family
Scrophulariaceae

Genus-level classification for Verbascum; this does not confirm the complete catalogue name.

Sources [1]
Taxonomy
NC State Extension publishes a profile under Verbascum thapsus.

Profile-name match; no accepted-name status is asserted.

Sources [2]
Mature height
0.91–3.05 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Mature spread
0.61–0.91 m

NC State Extension profile. Converted from the source range in feet and inches; mature size varies with growing conditions.

Sources [2]
Plant habit
Erect; Mounding

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Life cycle
Biennial

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Growth rate
Rapid

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Foliage
Broadleaf Evergreen; Semi-evergreen

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Light
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Moisture and drainage
Good Drainage; Occasionally Dry

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil texture
Clay; High Organic Matter; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky

NC State Extension profile.

Sources [2]
Soil pH
Acid (<6.0); Neutral (6.0-8.0)

NC State Extension profile. These source categories do not certify the catalogue’s numeric pH interval.

Sources [2]
Flowering season
Autumn; Summer

NC State Extension profile. Seasons reflect the source region and do not verify the catalogue’s exact flowering months.

Sources [2]
Native range
Europe

NC State Extension profile. Origin reported by the source; this is not a claim of local nativeness.

Sources [2]
Reported wildlife attraction
Listed as attracting: bees, butterflies.

NC State Extension profile. Broad wildlife categories; this does not establish flower visits by a named bee species or quantify nectar and pollen.

Sources [2]
Pollinator guidance
RHS includes Verbascum thapsus in its Plants for Pollinators guidance.

RHS planting guidance. Choose accessible flowers with pollen and nectar; reduced-resource and double-flowered forms may be unsuitable.

Sources [3]
Catalogue ratings

Who this plant supports

Honey bees

Medium suitability
Nectar value Unknown
Pollen value Medium
Plant profile

About this plant

Aaron's rod (Verbascum thapsus) is a herbaceous plant. It flowers from July to September.

Sources and references

References for the information marked with source numbers on this page.

Sources checked
  1. Catalogue of Life Verbascum — Catalogue of Life COL26.8

    COL26.8 (2026-08-20). Contributing checklist: Synonymic Checklists of the Vascular Plants of the World. This is taxonomic evidence, not an independent ecological study.

    Supports: Botanical family
    Relevant sections
    • Botanical family: NameUsage.tsv line 3178619; ID 86BQ; rank genus; status accepted

    Source checked on .

    Source data licence: CC BY 4.0.

  2. NC State Extension Verbascum thapsus — Plant Toolbox

    NC State Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox. Growing conditions and seasons reflect its United States horticultural context.

    Supports: TaxonomyMature heightMature spreadPlant habitLife cycleGrowth rateFoliageLightMoisture and drainageSoil textureSoil pHFlowering seasonNative rangeReported wildlife attraction
    Relevant sections
    • Taxonomy: Main botanical heading (h1)
    • Mature height: Dimensions / Height
    • Mature spread: Dimensions / Width
    • Plant habit: Habit/Form
    • Life cycle: Life Cycle
    • Growth rate: Growth Rate
    • Foliage: Woody Plant Leaf Characteristics
    • Light: Light
    • Moisture and drainage: Soil Drainage
    • Soil texture: Soil Texture
    • Soil pH: Soil pH
    • Flowering season: Flower Bloom Time
    • Native range: Country Or Region Of Origin
    • Reported wildlife attraction: Attracts

    Source checked on .

  3. Royal Horticultural Society RHS Plants for Pollinators — Wildflowers

    RHS planting guidance; applicable flower-form restrictions are retained. General recommendations do not measure local nectar or pollen production.

    Supports: Pollinator guidance
    Relevant sections
    • Pollinator guidance: Page 3, column 1, entry Verbascum thapsus (top 502 pt)

    Source checked on .