Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

By popular demand! Here is a photo of my other mystery plant which Stewart
Robert Hinsley managed to identify yesterday from a brief description only.

The plant was growing in the veg plot last year as a small rosette of furry
silver leaves and looked quite cute, so I transplanted it to the orchard. A
year on it has become quite a monster. The once pretty looking leaves have
made a feast for lots of caterpillars so are now quite tatty.

I'll let it run to seed and scatter the seeds in our wild flower area.

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/SharedPhotos/Hpim5565a.jpg

David.

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

"David (Normandy)" writes
By popular demand! Here is a photo of my other mystery plant which Stewart
Robert Hinsley managed to identify yesterday from a brief description only.

The plant was growing in the veg plot last year as a small rosette of furry
silver leaves and looked quite cute, so I transplanted it to the orchard. A
year on it has become quite a monster. The once pretty looking leaves have
made a feast for lots of caterpillars so are now quite tatty.

I'll let it run to seed and scatter the seeds in our wild flower area.

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/SharedPhotos/Hpim5565a.jpg

Are you going to post a pic of the caterpillars too? :-)
--
Kay

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

"K" wrote in message
...
"David (Normandy)" writes
By popular demand! Here is a photo of my other mystery plant which Stewart
Robert Hinsley managed to identify yesterday from a brief description
only.

The plant was growing in the veg plot last year as a small rosette of
furry
silver leaves and looked quite cute, so I transplanted it to the orchard.
A
year on it has become quite a monster. The once pretty looking leaves have
made a feast for lots of caterpillars so are now quite tatty.

I'll let it run to seed and scatter the seeds in our wild flower area.

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/SharedPhotos/Hpim5565a.jpg

Are you going to post a pic of the caterpillars too? :-)
--
Kay

Just had a closer look and they all seem to have vacated the premises!
They were definitely the mullen moth caterpillars though - I googled them as
suggested and they look exactly as I remember them. Another small (first
year) one was growing in the veg plot a few weeks ago and it was absolutely
writhing with them. As it was next to lots of veggies I pulled it up and put
it in the compost. In retrospect I could perhaps have left it if the
caterpillars are specialised feeders of that plant alone. I'll know next
time and just leave them to it.

David.

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

On 7 Jul, 12:49, "David \(Normandy\)"
wrote:
Just had a closer look and they all seem to have vacated the premises!
They were definitely the mullen moth caterpillars though - I googled them as
suggested and they look exactly as I remember them. Another small (first
year) one was growing in the veg plot a few weeks ago and it was absolutely
writhing with them. As it was next to lots of veggies I pulled it up and put
it in the compost. In retrospect I could perhaps have left it if the
caterpillars are specialised feeders of that plant alone. I'll know next
time and just leave them to it.

Just vigorously rake the whole thing ... it's 'orrible. You can borrow
my father in law for the job ;o)

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

David (Normandy) wrote:
By popular demand! Here is a photo of my other mystery plant which Stewart
Robert Hinsley managed to identify yesterday from a brief description only.

The plant was growing in the veg plot last year as a small rosette of furry
silver leaves and looked quite cute, so I transplanted it to the orchard. A
year on it has become quite a monster. The once pretty looking leaves have
made a feast for lots of caterpillars so are now quite tatty.

I'll let it run to seed and scatter the seeds in our wild flower area.

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/SharedPhotos/Hpim5565a.jpg

David.




Looks like Homo Sapiens to me. You'll need to watch that one.
Sam

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

"Sam" wrote in message
om...
David (Normandy) wrote:
By popular demand! Here is a photo of my other mystery plant which
Stewart
Robert Hinsley managed to identify yesterday from a brief description
only.

The plant was growing in the veg plot last year as a small rosette of
furry
silver leaves and looked quite cute, so I transplanted it to the orchard.
A
year on it has become quite a monster. The once pretty looking leaves
have
made a feast for lots of caterpillars so are now quite tatty.

I'll let it run to seed and scatter the seeds in our wild flower area.

http://www.avisoft.co.uk/SharedPhotos/Hpim5565a.jpg

David.




Looks like Homo Sapiens to me. You'll need to watch that one.
Sam

Yes, that one is quite a pest - it keeps eating all the veggies! (Mind you
it does plant them all in the first place) :-)

David.

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

"La Puce" wrote in message
ups.com...
On 7 Jul, 12:49, "David \(Normandy\)"
wrote:
Just had a closer look and they all seem to have vacated the premises!
They were definitely the mullen moth caterpillars though - I googled them
as
suggested and they look exactly as I remember them. Another small (first
year) one was growing in the veg plot a few weeks ago and it was
absolutely
writhing with them. As it was next to lots of veggies I pulled it up and
put
it in the compost. In retrospect I could perhaps have left it if the
caterpillars are specialised feeders of that plant alone. I'll know next
time and just leave them to it.

Just vigorously rake the whole thing ... it's 'orrible. You can borrow
my father in law for the job ;o)


I must admit it lacks the charm it did last year as a small rosette of
silvery leaves, or the charm of it's smaller kin which seem to have more
flowers and look less tatty. I'd not seen one before when weeding so rather
than composting it, was curious see what it became.

Did you ever see "The little shop of horrors" - It'd be my luck to end up
with something like that. I guess cats wouldn't be a problem though, nor
would any passing Jehovah's Witnesses ;-) "Feed me - Feed me!"

David.

Not a mystery plant anymore - Verbascum thapsus - Great Mullein
 

On 8 Jul, 09:22, "David \(Normandy\)"
wrote:
Yes, that one is quite a pest - it keeps eating all the veggies!

And chocolates too no doubt ;o)