Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' (Pbr) (Mullein)

£8.99

Position: full sun
Soil: poor, well-drained, alkaline soil
Rate of growth: average
Flowering period: July to September
Hardiness: fully hardy
An award winning variety, producing tall stems with flowers covered in intense wine-red florets above rosettes of deep green leaves. Perfect for the middle of a sunny border or cottage garden it prefers poor, well-drained, alkaline soils.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. Mullein moth caterpillars can be a problem, pick off the insects in early June as soon as they appear. Remove faded flower spikes.It is worth keeping in mind that these plants are mainly biennial, so although they usually self-seed freely, the plant will only live for two years.

Need a little advice? We've got several articles to guide you through shopping online, together with helpful advice on choosing the right product for you.

We think these guides might be of interest: Perennials.

Our community of gardeners have a wealth of experience, beautiful garden and great photos, discover more on the following pages: border ideas.