Do you know those Mullein Look Alike? Do you want to be sure that you accurately identify a plant that resembles mullein? Here’s how to distinguish mullein from a few of its imitators.
The collective name for all of the plants of the genus Verbascum, family Scrophulariaceae, is mullein. Most of the species in this genus are biennial or perennial and are endemic to Europe and Asia.
Mulleins are not particularly bothersome, although in some regions of the world, they are considered noxious weeds. They typically grow in pastures, along roadsides, in disturbed areas, and even in gardens, especially in temperate zones where they have the potential to become invasive.
There are more than 400 plant species in the verbascum genus. Even though they are all often referred to as “mulleins,” not all of them look the same. Thus, we shall only make reference to Verbascum thapsus, sometimes referred to as the “common mullein,” the species of mullein that is most frequently encountered. Discover 3 Mullein Look Alikes at homegardenartful.com!
Identification of Common Mullein
The biennial plant known as common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) has a maximum height of 6.5 feet (2 meters). Other names for it include bigger mullein and huge mullein.
Due to its distinctive characteristics and in particular because all of the plant components are covered in dense, silky hairs, it is typically quite simple to identify.
In the first year of a plant’s life, its silvery-green leaves develop in a basal rosette. They are coated in dense hair which gives them a velvety feel and has an oblong to lanceolate form.
The basal leaves can grow to a maximum length of 20 inches (50 cm) and a maximum width of 5 inches (14 cm).
The plant grows an upright, rarely branching stem in its second year with alternately arranged leaves that get smaller toward the top.
The common mullein develops dense spikes of tiny yellow flowers at the top of the stems during its blooming season.
Although it is frequently simple to distinguish between ordinary mullein and other plants with a similar appearance, there are a number of them. As a result, we will also mention some of the most typical mullein substitutes.
Top 3 Mullein Look Alikes
Common Comfrey
Originally from Europe, common comfrey (Symphytum officinale) has been spread to many other parts of the world, particularly North America and Asia. Other names for it include boneset, quaker comfrey, and real comfrey.
Even though mullein and common comfrey have distinct distinctions, they might be confused for one another.
This plant has been cultivated over time for medical purposes but is also frequently found growing in soggy grasslands, riverbanks, and ditches. Pyrolizidine alkaloids, which are found in comfrey, are poisonous to both people and animals.
The stems of Symphytum officinale, which can reach a height of 35 inches (90 cm), begin as a leaf rosette.
The plant’s topmost leaves are lance- to oval-shaped, dark green, covered with stiff hairs, and get smaller as they grow.
Late spring to early summer is when common comfrey blooms, giving out clusters of drooping, bell-shaped flowers that are typically purple or pale yellow in hue.
Lamb’s Ear
Stachys byzantina, a type of perennial plant in the Lamiaceae family, is commonly planted as an ornamental plant in temperate areas. It is native to Armenia, Turkey, and Iran. It is additionally frequently called woolly hedgenettle.
Particularly in the early stages of development before the plant blooms, Stachys byzantina resembles mullein strikingly.
Compared to regular mullein, lamb’s ear rarely grows taller than 31 inches (80 cm), which is the height at which the plant produces its blooming stalk.
The thick, oblong-elliptic leaves of Stachys byzantina are greenish-silvery-grey in color and have a fluffy, white, fur-like covering on them. The plant gets its common name from the fact that they resemble lamb’s ears overall.
Lamb’s ear develops spike-like stems during its blooming season, which is from spring to early summer. The plant produces several tiny, densely clustered purple flowers that last for the majority of their length.
The leaves on the flowering stems are also present, but they are smaller.
Foxglove
The biennial plant species foxglove (Digitalis purpurea), which is native to Europe, has spread throughout temperate North America and other areas of the world. It also goes by the name common foxglove.
This plant has strong poisons in it. Its blooms, seeds, and leaves are all poisonous to both humans and numerous animal species. Therefore, its components should never be consumed.
In the first year, foxglove only grows as a rosette of ground-level leaves. It develops blooming stems that can reach heights of more than 50 inches (1.2 meters) in the second year.
The leaves have a furry appearance due to their gray-white hairy covering and dark green, thick, serrated margins. Due of this, foxglove can sometimes be confused for mullein during certain phases of growth.
At the top of the flowering stems, foxglove produces tubular flowers that develop into an extended cluster. Although most kinds have purple flowers, some also have white, pink, or yellow flowers.
The fruit of this plant is a capsule that, when it reaches maturity, splits open to release a number of tiny seeds that will produce the following crop of plants.
In addition to being grown as a decorative plant, foxglove is frequently seen growing on mountain slopes, in forest clearings, and on disturbed areas.
Conclusion
The weed known as common mullein is widespread throughout the world. The woolly appearance of this plant and the thick hair that covers it are its most distinctive features.
There are various other plants that resemble mullein and can be readily confused, despite the fact that it is not a particularly difficult plant to identify due to having several rather distinguishing traits.
Some of the plant species that resemble mullein the most are covered in this article. You need to be able to properly and quickly recognize this plant or one of its lookalikes the next time you come across it.
