Instructions for growing a Mullein flower Royal scepter

The royal scepter mullein, the cultivation of which is not difficult, has a lot of useful properties. In addition to the healing effect, the composition of verbascum in combination with salvia will become a real decoration of the flower bed.

Compliance with the rules for caring for a mullein will allow you to grow healthy plants that will delight you with lush flowering all summer.

Description and characteristics

Mullein is an amazing garden plant that pleases with gorgeous flowering throughout the summer. Charming flowers, located on high peduncles, do not live long, but the alternate opening of the buds contributes to continuous flowering. As soon as the plant is not called among the people - golden blossom, torch, royal scepter, verbascum. The flower, despite its simplicity, will fit into any garden design.

Mullein belongs to the category of biennial plants growing up to 200 cm in height. The outlines of the culture are similar to the scepter. Small yellow flowers, barely 1.5 cm in diameter, are densely located on the upper parts of the stems. The alternate blooming of flowers begins from the middle region of the stems. You can admire the flowering throughout the summer.

Verbascum foliage is located horizontally above the ground surface. The leaf plates are wide enough. The two-year-old crop has a strong root system.

Often, mullein can be found on the side of the road, in the yard, on the territory of fields and forest zones. People often use the plant for medicinal purposes.

Views

There are more than 240 varieties of mullein, but in our country you can find only 6-8 varieties of the plant. These species can adapt perfectly to our climate. Below are the species of verbascum found in our latitudes.

1. The scepter (densely flowered) mullein. The height of the ornamental culture reaches 20-110 cm. Thick erect stems are densely covered with leaf plates. The lower foliage is oval in shape, reaching 15-35 cm in length. The upper leaf plates are much smaller. Their length does not exceed 10 cm. Long spike-shaped inflorescences are dotted with bunches of flowers, painted in a yellow palette. The inflorescences resemble a golden royal scepter. Each of the corollas is 5 cm wide. Fresh flowers have an amazing delicate aroma. Dried inflorescences are endowed with a pronounced honey smell.
2. Common mullein (bear ear). Any part of the culture is densely pubescent with long silvery hairs. The foliage is colored dark green. Leaf plates are concentrated along the entire length of the shoots. At the very top of the shoot, there is a short inflorescence with the shape of a spikelet. The length of the lower petiole foliage reaches 16-30 cm. The size of the green mass in the upper part of the stem is much smaller. Foliage shrinking upward resembles the outline of a cone from afar. A large number of small flowers form an inflorescence. The diameter of small flowers barely reaches 1.5-2 cm.
3. The black mullein, whose height reaches 55-115 cm, is distinguished by erect stems. Large leaves are concentrated from below in the area of ​​the third part of the shoot. The lower petiole foliage is ovoid or heart-shaped. The length of the leaf plates reaches 20 cm. Long inflorescences are covered with bunches of small yellow flowers.The presence of brown spots can be noted near the base of the petals. Purple villi adorn the stamen columns.
4. Medicinal mullein. Each of the stems, the height of which can exceed 120-140 cm, is densely covered with leaf blades. Long inflorescences, located in the upper region of the stems, branch out into several shoots. Each part of the perennial is dotted with thick felt villi. The length of the oval leaves exceeds 15-20 cm. The flower petals are long and soft to the touch. Flowers are collected in groups along the entire length of the inflorescences. The anthers are colored bright red.
5. The hybrid mullein is a decorative species that breeders have obtained through interspecific crossing. Large flowers are colored in various shades. The height of the shoots, depending on the variety, can reach 50-170 cm. Among the best hybrid species of verbascum, it is worth highlighting Mont Blanc, Pink Domino, Jackie and Herry Helen.

Growing from seeds at home

The plant does not belong to the category of capricious. Abundant flowering throughout the summer is a definite advantage. The presence of a tap root system allows the mullein to extract moisture from the depths. The presence of pubescence of the leaf plates reduces the evaporation of moisture. The plant can grow both in a sunny area and in a shaded area.

When choosing a place for planting, it should be borne in mind that verbascum will not please with lush flowering on loamy soil. In order to propagate a culture, you need to use seeds. Small seeds are sown in open ground at the end of spring, when the threat of night frosts has passed. The seeds are spread over the bed and lightly sprinkled with a small layer of soil. After the emergence of seedlings, it is necessary to thin them out, leaving only strong and healthy specimens. The distance between plants should be 20-25 cm.

Saplings need abundant systematic soil moisture. A year after planting, the plants will begin to bloom. When transplanting a biennial, it is important not to separate the clod of soil from the root system, which will allow the plant to quickly adapt to a new place. Perennial reproduces well by self-seeding.

Note! From the seed collected from one plant, descendants with different colors of flowers grow.

When watering, it should be borne in mind that verbascum does not like swampy soil. Therefore, water is added under the mullein gradually as it is absorbed into the soil. To extend the life of a two-year-old, cut the stems as soon as the flowers begin to dry out. You should not wait for the fruit to ripen. Frequent application of fertilizing to fertile soil shortens the life of flowers.

Care features

In order for the plant to bloom for a long time, it is necessary to follow the recommendations of experienced agronomists regarding the care of a biennial. Below are the main features of care.

• Top dressing. Before sowing verbascum seeds, it is necessary to add a small percentage of mineral dressing to the soil. After applying the fertilizer, it is recommended to loosen the soil. Organic and mineral fertilizers are suitable for an adult mullein as a top dressing. Top dressing is applied to the root zone.
• Weeding is a necessary item of mullein care. The medicinal plant needs systematic loosening of the soil. Weed grass picks up useful elements and soil and creates additional shading, which negatively affects the development of young seedlings.
• Mulching will have a positive effect on the appearance of the mullein. By sprinkling the soil with sawdust, you can get rid of weeds, saturate the soil with useful elements, and keep the moisture of the earth for a long time. Verbascum is fragrant under similar conditions.
• The removal of flowers is carried out in stages as they wilt. A similar process allows you to slow down the flowering process of the remaining buds and prevent the pulling of forces from the plant.After the culture has flowered, the stems are also cut, dried and used as mulch.
• Cooking mullein for winter. It is necessary to prepare plants for cold weather in October. The root system of the biennial is covered with a layer of sawdust, peat, ash and fallen leaves. The bedding layer should be up to 7-10 cm.

Reproduction

For the purpose of reproduction, the seed method or the method of dividing the bush can be used. Seed material retains germination for a long time. The seeds can be sown directly into the open ground, as the mullein is frost-resistant. In the fields, biennials reproduce by self-seeding. The first shoots appear after 10 days. The seedlings grow slowly during the first months. With proper care, the growth rate increases from 9-10 weeks.

To preserve varietal characteristics, you must use the method of dividing the bush. The process is carried out in September, when the flowering has come to an end. The plant, along with the root, is dug up and shaken off the earthen coma. The root is cut into 2-3 parts, so that buds remain on each of them. The length indicator of each root should be within 5-6 cm. Each division is placed in separate holes. A small layer of sand is poured over the root with the presence of a kidney. Only then can the depression be filled with soil. The distance between the holes should not be less than 35 cm.

Diseases and pests

Mullein is most commonly harmed by aphids and fungal infections. In order to cope with the pest, you should use drugs of the type:

• Actars;
• Anti-mite Max;
• Decis;
• Inta-Vira;
• Golden spark;
• Calypso Spray;
• Fitoverma;
• Tanreca;
• Tsvetolyuksa.

It is very important to accurately observe the dosage of drugs. As soon as signs of aphids are found on the plant, processing should be started as soon as possible.

Note! When spraying flowers, it is unacceptable to get the solution on edible plants growing nearby, since the harvest in this case will need to be postponed for a month.

If a fungal infection is found on the flowers, the plantings should be sprayed with Fitosporin-M or Topaz as soon as possible. Fungicidal agents will help to quickly cope with the disease.

The healing properties of the plant

Mullein has medicinal properties, so it is used quite often during therapy:

1. skin pathologies;
2. gastrointestinal infections;
3. hemorrhoids;
4. pathologies of the oral cavity;
5. asthma and sore throats;
6. cardiovascular disease.

The royal scepter acts on the human body as an effective sedative, expectorant, diuretic. Very often, pharmaceutical companies include the plant in their formulations.

In folk medicine, tinctures, decoctions, oil and ointments made on the basis of verbascum are actively used. It should be borne in mind that during the preparation of decoctions and infusions, the stamens of the plant are preliminarily removed, which avoids irritation of the skin and mucous membranes.

Contraindications

Despite the useful properties of the plant, it is worth very carefully applying it to women who are carrying a child. It is unacceptable to use mullein during lactation.

There are cases when the royal scepter provokes the development of an allergic reaction. Therefore, before starting use, it is important to test the composition in a small amount on the skin. In the absence of discomfort and redness after 100-120 minutes, you can safely use a folk remedy.

Application in landscape design

Flowering spikelets of decorative culture attract the attention of even the most sophisticated grower. Landscape designers use the mullein for planting in small groups on the lawn. Verbascum is also actively used in decorating flower beds on which bulbous perennials are planted. Mullein is ideally combined with salvia, anaphalis, stachis, catnip, orchis.

Luchinnik is an effective medicinal plant that not only benefits the human body, but also decorates the design of the local area. An unpretentious culture can decorate any flower bed.

Watch a video about these beautiful flowers: