Can anyone tell me what this plant is? It started growing last fall in my vegetable garden in Toronto. The leaves are smoother than velvet. It's now about 2 metres tall and I'm getting afraid of it. LOL I keep thinking that it's something I should know.
Be cautious of letting it go to seed freely. It's bloomed, so that one will die, but if you let the wind take the seeds rather than bagging and collecting, you'll have 50-100 more next year, and probably in places you wish it wouldn't grow. If you want an example, I'll take a picture of my neighbor's old cornfield; it's all but been taken over by Mulleins.
Yep, Great Mullein Verbascum thapsus. Native to Europe, but an invasive weed in North America. Best removed in your case.
Yes, be very careful to collect the seed or you'll have more Mulleins than you know what to do with next year! It reseeds itself very freely, I have it coming up everywhere and it's worse this year because we had some logging done and Mullein loves disturbed soil! If you choose to save some seeds an plant them be aware that it is a Bi-annual plant. The basal leaves are all you will see the first year. The second year it will grow a flower stalk and bloom.
I wouldn't plant or encourage this, it is a weedy species on this continent and there are other species available from nurseries and seed suppliers that have larger, more effective flowers.
Thanks for all the info, everyone. I think I'll take a couple more photos, then dig it out to make more room for the pumpkin that's planted next to it. I'll save some of the seeds and make sure the rest go out to the curb with the yard waste instead of into the composter. (Of course I always keep seeds out of the composter.)
