Moth mullein is native to Eurasia and West Africa, not to North America. It was introduced, and is now naturalized throughout
most of the continent. It is considered an invasive species in many areas.
It prefers dry disturbed areas such as meadows, roadsides, vacant lots, and gravel bars.
Identification: Plants reach 1½-4′ (45-121 cm) in height, with a
strong, ribbed central stem. They are
usually biennial. They spend their first year as a basal rosette, a circle of gray-green woolly
leaves on the ground. The basal rosettes may reach 1′ (40 cm) in diameter with oblanceolate, bright green leaves. The leaves have irregular teeth, and may be sparsely hairy to glabrous.
In the second year, a flowering stalk appears, a raceme with white-to-yellow flowers 1-1½″ (2.5-3.8 cm) around. The flowers
have fine purple hairs covering the stamens.
This shows the stem and leaves. The flowers are from a different species, bird’s foot trefoil. · 7/7/2012 · Gibbet Hill, Groton, Massachusetts · ≈ 4½ × 7″ (11 × 17 cm)