Here’s Joe Crow, perched before a backdrop of Verbascum nigrum, or Black (or Dark) Mullein. Just coming into full bloom now, Black Mullein is one of my favorite garden plants. Its large basal leaves are dark green, with small hairs that give the leaves a soft, velvety feel. They start out quite large near the earth, and grow smaller as they march up the stalk until they give way to flowers. Each flower is tiny, about half an inch across, but there are plenty of them as they densely line the stem. The flowers features yellow petals and purple filaments tipped with orange anthers. The tallest plants are a statuesque 5 1/2 feet in height. Verbascum nigrum is a biennial, but self-seeds freely, so there is always a good display of flowers.
Charming as they are, none of those features are what really draw me to verbascum nigrum, however. That would be the bees. They absolutely adore this plant. First thing in the morning, the flowers are alive with bees, getting on with their day’s work. I always take time to stand and admire them for a few minutes. They pay me no heed. They’re far too busy.
Here’s a short clip of the morning visitation.
Willow House Chronicles 
It is a very nice plant. I have grown it (even if in my mind I confuse it with the yellow Chaxii). All Vervascum seem very promiscuous and interbreed – especially the wooly kinds. They are always architectural but some turn out much nicer than other. It is always a gamble what you will get from seed.
I’ve heard they hybridize easily, but except for a few Verbascum thapsus, there aren’t others around here, and the fuzzy thapsus nowhere near my garden. These plants were growing here when I arrived 5 years ago, survivers from a previous garden nearly a decade earlier, along with a very nice hosta collection that had thrived on neglect and are beautiful and mature now. I believe the original seed for my verbascums came from Gardens North, which at the time was located in the Ottawa area. They still offer nigrum, along with an assortment of other verbascums, including a white Chaxii. The white and purple verbascums look interesting, though I have to say I enjoy the bright yellow.
The white Chaxii is attractive but, like the yellow, it selfseeds (perhaps not a problem with your mulch). Besides, if you remove it from a spot, any bit of root left produces a new plant. Looking up Verb. Chaixii when I read your post, I came upon a picture taken in our former garden at least 15 years ago. I had forgotten all about it – the internet is amazing!
We will be going through your part of the province Thursday as we are going to visit my parents in Quebec but near New-Brunswick – quite a drive!
Hi Alain. Sorry to be slow responding. We were away in Toronto for a few days for a dinner we were invited to. We drove out to Rocher-Percé in 2010, and back via the New Brunswick Botanical Garden in Edmunston NB. A long drive, but lots of very pretty scenery.
Hope you have a safe and uneventful journey and a pleasant visit. We are about 15 km north of the 401. If you felt like adding to your long drive, you would be welcome to drop by and see the garden.