Species library · Plants & herbs

Foraging Dark Mullein

Verbascum nigrum

Typically in season from January to December in the northern hemisphere. Has toxic lookalikes, so check carefully.

Dark Mullein (Verbascum nigrum)

Photo: CC BY-SA 2.0

When Dark Mullein is in season

Typical window in the northern hemisphere. The southern hemisphere runs about six months offset, and your own timing depends on local weather, so check your town.

→ Everything in season to forage in September

⚠ Look-alikes & safety

Deadly look-alikes: Woolly foxglove, Common foxglove, Great mullein. Only forage with a confident ID.

Take Dark Mullein into the field

Open Dark Mullein in the Forage app for its full field guide entry with more photos, key features and toxic lookalikes to check against. Add it to your watchlist and the app pings you the moment it comes into season at your exact spot, worked out from live weather, elevation and billions of occurrence records.

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Dark Mullein: common questions

When is Dark Mullein in season?

Dark Mullein is generally in season from January to December in temperate northern regions. The exact timing shifts with latitude, elevation and each year's weather. Check the Season Finder for your own location.

Is Dark Mullein safe to forage?

Deadly look-alikes: Woolly foxglove, Common foxglove, Great mullein. Only forage with a confident ID. Never eat any wild plant, berry, nut or mushroom unless you are completely certain of the identification. Check every find against a reliable field guide, and when in doubt, don't.

One note before you head out

Forage helps you discover and identify wild plants, but identification is never 100% certain. Many edible plants have toxic lookalikes. Never eat anything you find based only on what this app tells you. Always confirm with a field guide, an experienced forager or a local expert. The season score tells you where to look, too: it’s not a guarantee. Mind conservation law and property rights as well.

Species photos via Wikimedia Commons and iNaturalist · full credits