Etymology: Verbascum: corrupted form of Barbascum, the ancient Latin name for this plant
Plants: erect, biennial, 1'-6' tall forb with gray, branching hairs and no glands
Leaves: first year a basal rosette then becoming alternate, mostly entire, softly hairy, lower stalked, upper stalkless and extending down the stem as a narrow wing
Flowers: yellow, 5-parted, 1/3"-1" wide, nearly regular in shape, 3 lower lobes slightly longer than the upper 2, 5 stamens; inflorescence a 20" dense, spike-like cluster becoming more open in time; blooms June-Sept.
Habitat: disturbed sites
Conservation Status: Introduced - naturalized; potentially invasive