Appearance
Verbascum blattaria is a perennial plant that can grow 2-4 ft. (0.6-1.2 m) tall and is usually unbranched.

Foliage
Basal leaves from a rosette 8-12 in. (20.3-30.5 cm) across. Stem leaves are alternate, up to 6 in. (15.2 cm) long, and lanceolate with margins that are usually crenate. Lower leaves clasp the stems but the upper leaves are more likely to be sessile.

Flowers
Flowers are up to 1 in. (2.5 cm) across and have 5 white to pale yellow petals with some purple coloring close to the center. The blooming period occurs during the summer.

Fruit
Fruit is a round, hairy, fleshy, 0.3 in. (0.85 cm) long, a greenish capsule containing many small dark brown seeds with wavy ridges.

Ecological Threat
Verbascum blattaria prefers highly disturbed areas including pastures, vacant lots, roadsides, and abandoned fields. It is native to Eurasia.

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• Colorado Noxious Weeds
• National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
• Native Plant Society of Oregon, 2008
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References