Mullein (scientific name Verbascum thapsus L., also commonly known as ‘bearded mullein’) is a biennial herbaceous plant belonging to the Scrofulariaceae family. It grows to a height of over 2 metres and is covered in dense, soft down. The flowers are yellow and have a diameter of 1.5–3 cm. It is also depicted in Caravaggio’s paintings, for example at the feet of St John the Baptist, symbolising the ‘root of Jesse’ (Isaiah 11:1).
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