Alphabetical Plant Listing

Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' (Mullein)

'Cherry Helen' Mullein, Verbascum x hybrida 'Cherry Helen'


A very pretty Mullein, Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' is a short-lived perennial with abundant, graceful spikes smothered with compact clusters of rich wine-red flowers, each adorned with a fuzzy purple eye. Blooming over a long flowering period extending from late spring to late summer (if properly deadheaded), the flower stalks rise elegantly from a handsome low-growing rosette packed with woolly, ovate, deep green leaves. 'Cherry Helen' is a sport of the highly popular 'Helen Johnson'. It is ideal as a background plant in flower borders and cutting gardens where each plant will produce hundreds of flowers.

  • Grows up to 24-48 in. tall (60-120 cm) and 12-18 in. wide (30-45 cm).
  • Performs best in full sun in average, dry to medium, well-drained soils. It is not fussy about soils and tolerates poor soils, but good drainage is essential. Plants grown in fertile soils grow taller and may require staking.
  • Drought tolerant and deer resistant, it is fairly pest and disease free. Watch, however, for caterpillars, figwort weevil and powdery mildew.
  • Provides a lovely vertical accent in the garden. Very useful and adaptable, it is well suited for beds and borders, gravel gardens, cottage gardens and wildlife gardens. Excellent as cut flowers and great in containers too.
  • Remove spent flower spikes before seed sets to promote further blooms and to avoid undesired self-seeding in the garden. May be propagated by root cuttings in late winter to early spring.

Not sure which Verbascum - Mulleins to pick?
Compare All Verbascum - Mulleins

Buy Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' (Mullein)

Requirements

Hardiness 5 – 8
Heat Zones 5 – 9
Climate Zones 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Verbascum - Mulleins
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 2' – 4' (60cm – 120cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 20" – 24" (50cm – 60cm)
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Buy Plants

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Verbascum - Mulleins

Guides with Verbascum - Mulleins


Martin Ogden / Teddingtongardener.com

While every effort has been made to describe these plants accurately, please keep in mind that height, bloom time, and color may differ in various climates. The description of these plants has been written based on numerous outside resources.


Requirements

Hardiness 5 – 8
Heat Zones 5 – 9
Climate Zones 2, 2A, 2B, 3, 3A, 3B, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24
Plant Type Perennials
Plant Family Verbascum - Mulleins
Exposure Full Sun
Season of Interest Spring (Late)
Summer (Early,Mid,Late)
Fall
Height 2' – 4' (60cm – 120cm)
Spread 1' – 2' (30cm – 60cm)
Spacing 20" – 24" (50cm – 60cm)
Water Needs Low
Maintenance Low
Soil Type Loam, Sand
Soil pH Alkaline, Neutral
Soil Drainage Well-Drained
Characteristics Cut Flowers, Showy
Tolerance Deer, Drought, Dry Soil, Rocky Soil
Attracts Butterflies, Hummingbirds
Garden Uses Beds and Borders
Garden Styles Gravel and Rock Garden, Informal and Cottage, Prairie and Meadow

Great Plant Combination Ideas with Verbascum - Mulleins

Guides with Verbascum - Mulleins

Plant Calculator

How many Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' (Mullein) do I need for my garden?

%
ft
ft

Your Shopping List

Plant Quantity
Verbascum 'Cherry Helen' (Mullein)

Find your Hardiness Zone

Find your Climate Zone

Find your Heat Zone

Join Gardenia.net

Create a membership account to save your garden designs and to view them on any device.

Becoming a contributing member of Gardenia is easy and can be done in just a few minutes. If you provide us with your name, email address and the payment of a modest $25 annual membership fee, you will become a full member, enabling you to design and save up to 25 of your garden design ideas.

Join now and start creating your dream garden!

Create a New Collection

Optional. For your reference.


Move Selected Plants to a Different Collection


Delete Collection

This field is required.

Rename Collection

This field is required.