Verbascum 'Petra'

mullien

size: 2 litre pot

available to order from summer 2012

£9.99

pot size guide

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• Position: full sun
• Soil: poor, well-drained, alkaline soil
• Rate of growth: average
• Flowering period: May to August
• Hardiness: hardy biennial
  
  A beautifully coloured mullien with reddish-brown flowers that tone well with rich plums and biscuit shades. The upright, branching flowerspikes are ideal for adding vertical interest to herbaceous borders and they are equally at home in both formal or informal settings. Verbascums have become increasingly popular in recent years, and with delightful plants like this one, it is easy to see why.
  
  
• Garden care:Apply a 5-7cm (2-3in) mulch around the base of the plant in autumn to protect from winter extremes, taking care not to cover the crown. Stake in spring with bamboo canes or twiggy prunings before the flowers appear. If you cut back the flowerspike as soon as the flowers have faded it will usually encourage a second flush in late summer. These should be left uncut as they can create interesting winter silhouettes.
  
  It is worth keeping in mind that Verbascums are mainly biennial, however this cultivar will often act as a short-lived perennial.
  
  
  • Eventual Height: 1m
  • Eventual Spread: 0.6m
  Verbascum 'Petra' - mullien Mixes well with ornamental grasses