Verbascum

Joyce Goldenlily · 5 February

Several years ago I bought a plant which might have been Verbascum Dark Eyes or similar. It grew well until a couple of years ago when it was decimated by the mullein caterpillar. Each year a random self-sown seedling would appear somewhere in the garden. Last year I collected a flower spike to save the seed. The seed capsules dried and became so hard I had to open them using a hammer, I now have zillions of seed. I have wondered if the lack of previous seedlings might be due to the capsules not opening, it is not fully self-fertile, or both? I am going to try sowing some of the seed in a gravelly mix as Verbascum seems to need a gritty, low fertile growing medium.
Any tips for germinating this plant would be appreciated.

Loxley · 5 February

They are easy to germinate (I managed it, so they must be) - I sowed them into a mix of compost and perlite. They don't seed much in my garden, presumably because I disturb them, accidentally weed them, or there is just too much plant cover to give them a chance. [Edit... that variety it appears to be a trademarked cultivar, which leads me to suspect it's probably not fertile, hence the longer flowering period it benefits from - perhaps the odd rogue seedling is produced]

Joyce Goldenlily · 6 February

I have Perlite so maybe will try a couple of pots, one with Perlite and one with grit. I have never had more than one seedling in the garden, not sure why.
It will be interesting if I do get any seedlings, to see if they comes true to the parent.

Verbascum

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