mullein
/ˈmʌlɪn
/noun
A herbaceous Eurasian plant with woolly leaves and tall spikes of yellow flowers.
- Genus Verbascum, family Scrophulariaceae: several species, in particular the common (or great) mullein (V. thapsus). Also called Aaron’s rod.
- The yellow flower spikes of a dwarf mullein or verbascum and the delicate white and pink trumpets of a creeping convolvulus defied my attempts at precise identification but were delightful nevertheless.
- I'm a great fan of verbascum or mulleins, to give them their common name, not least because they self-seed prolifically, leaving little room for weeds to flourish and filling the borders florifically.
Origin
Late Middle English: from Old French moleine, of Celtic origin; compare with Breton melen, Cornish and Welsh melyn 'yellow'.