Plant Profile: Verbascum thapsus

The plant features rosettes of silvery-green, fuzzy leaves reminiscent of lamb's ear. As a biennial, it focuses on vegetative growth in its first year, followed by the emergence of a tall flower spike adorned with fragrant yellow blooms in its second year. It readily self-seeds. This species thrives in average to well-drained soil and prefers sunny locations such as fields, roadsides, and disturbed areas.

However, it is classified as invasive in multiple states, capable of creating a thick ground cover that can outcompete native vegetation.