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What should Verbascums look like at this time of year?

Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
in Plants
Hello,

I have some Verbascums that I planted in the spring. They have done brilliantly and grown to about 6ft with lots of branches of flowers. Now one of them is completely brown and the foliage has crisped up, still a few sporadic flowers here and there. Another one is still partially green but heading the same way. 

What should they look like at this point in the year? And also, what should I do with them now? Chop them off at ground level? 

Posts

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I have several that flower throughout the summer.
    Once the flower spike dies back I cut it off at the base. The leaves also look a bit manky at that time, so I cut the manky ones off.
    Within about a week, fresh new leaves appear and new flower spikes appear.
    They seem to repeat this process throughout summer.
    Mine have been flowering since June and still look great.
    So long as yours hasn't been fried and it's well watered I imagine it should do the same.
    Mine are the smaller varieties that get to about 2ft.

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • punkdocpunkdoc Posts: 15,039
    Some Verbascums are biennial and will die after flowering. The perennial ones can be chopped back, after they have flowered.
    How can you lie there and think of England
    When you don't even know who's in the team

    S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
  • JennyJJennyJ Posts: 10,576
    What king are they? Some Verbascums, particularly the less-hybridised ones like V. thapsus and V. bombyciferum  are biennial and die after they've set seed.
    Doncaster, South Yorkshire. Soil type: sandy, well-drained
  • Robert WestRobert West Posts: 241
    Thanks everyone. They are the perennial type, at least that's what the label said, so I'm hoping they will be back next year. I'll chop them off at the base and see what happens. 

    I have four of another type that are also supposedly perennial but despite growing very large crowns (3ft+ across) haven't sent up any stems this year. I'm hoping they're just settling in and will flower next summer. 

    Does the crown die off over winter anyway? 
  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    Mine disappear completely over winter but come up every year.
    Here's one of mine today- I don't know the variety



    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • McRazzMcRazz Posts: 440
    Look at this scabby thing.

    Two weeks ago you would have sworn it was dead.

    Now, like a slightly less scabby Phoenix she is rising from the flames of the 2022 drought! 

  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Mine are pretty much the same @McRazz


    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





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