Witches Candle copyright 2012 Pamela Breitberg

Witches Candle is an apropos name for Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsu) with its single, sturdy flower stalk rising high above its neighbors. The dense long hairs on the leaves yield a wooly presence inviting it to be called Lambs tongues by other viewers. To the naturalist it is a European weed, capable of producing 100,000 seeds per plant which are able to lie dormant for up to one hundred years. So not too surprising it found its way into this restored prairie. Makes me wonder what other uninvited guests lie within this labored area.