Verbascum thapsus

FamilyGenus: Verbascumnative in Germany

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Species

interact

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Interactions

documented

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Host relationships

Species

About this species

A tall, yellow-flowered herbaceous plant native to Britain, found on dry, sunny, nutrient-rich waste ground. Flowers June–September, providing pollen and nectar for insects.

Ecological network

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PollinationLarval hostFlower visit

Ecological significance

The flowers provide nectar and pollen for a range of pollinating insects, including bees and hoverflies.

Annual cycle

Flowers from June to September.

Standort & Merkmale

Light

Sonne

Moisture

Trocken

Soil

Starkzehrer (Nährstoffreicher/Fetter Boden)

Flowering period

Jun – Sep

Soil reaction

Basisch / Kalkhold

Bioregion

Continental

Nectar value

Pollen value

Growth form

Krautige Pflanze

Woodiness

Nicht verholzt

Leaf type

Breitblättrig

Plant height

0.879 m

Morphological traits: TRY ID3 (CC BY 3.0) & TRY ID81 (CC BY)

Pflege & Anbau

Plant in full sun in well-drained, moderately fertile to nutrient-rich soil. Once established, it tolerates dry conditions. Suitable for wildflower areas and sunny borders with free-draining ground.

Scientific profile

Verbascum thapsus is a herbaceous plant in the figwort family (Scrophulariaceae), native in Great Britain. It forms a basal rosette of broad, grey-green leaves and produces an upright flowering spike reaching around 0.88 m in height. The yellow flowers appear from June to September and supply a modest amount of nectar and pollen. It grows in full sun on dry to moderately moist, nutrient-rich, often calcareous soils, typically in ruderal habitats such as waste ground and disturbed sites. The plant forms arbuscular mycorrhizal associations. Ellenberg-type indicator values confirm a preference for high light, moderately fresh moisture, slightly basic reaction and moderate nutrient levels.

Pollinators & visitors

13 Arten interagieren mit dieser Pflanze

Xestia xanthographaHalictus tumulorumAdscita staticesBombus pascuorumClytus arietisPolistes dominulaVanessa carduiThomisus onustusBombus terrestrisApis melliferaLasioglossum zonulumManiola jurtinaBombus lapidarius

Host relationships

3 species use this plant as a host

Tyria jacobaeaeDiaphora mendicaPhlogophora meticulosa

Other flower visitors

6 other species visit the flowers

Capreolus capreolusHarmonia axyridisPhalangium opilioCoccinella septempunctataHippodamia variegataMeligethes solidus

Sources & data origin

•Interaktionsdaten via GloBI (CC-BY 4.0)

•Cook et al. (2025) UK Butterfly & Moth Traits (DOI: 10.5285/dbc7cc17-cbbd-49dd-bab4-8e8855768d66)

•pollinator_interactions

•FloraWeb / BfN

•EIVE 1.0 — Dengler et al. (2023), DOI: 10.3897/VCS.98324 (CC BY 4.0)

•EuPPollNet — Kuppler et al. (2025), DOI: 10.1111/geb.70000 (CC BY 4.0)

•Database of Pollinator Interactions (DoPI) — Pocock et al. (2022), DOI: 10.1002/ecy.3801 (CC BY)

•GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — GBIF Secretariat (2024), DOI: 10.15468/39omei (CC BY 4.0)

•TRY Categorical Traits (ID3) — Kattge et al. (2012), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.3 (CC BY 3.0)

•TRY Global Spectrum (ID81) — Díaz et al. (2016/2021), DOI: 10.17871/TRY.81 (CC BY)

•Govaerts R et al. (2025) — World Checklist of Vascular Plants (WCVP) v14. Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. DOI: 10.34885/xs7h-ze42 (CC BY 4.0)

•Foto: © Adobe Stock / AdobeStock_1911655011

All data is licensed under CC BY 4.0, CC0, or compatible terms. Attribution according to license conditions. Full source overview →