Turkish Mullein, Silver Mullein (Verbascum bombyciferum)

This is a beautiful sight!
The plant is grand,
the fence is envied!

Thanks taramark! There are a couple of closeups in another thread.
http://davesgarden.com/t/397725/

Wow! That's a fantastic example!
I have one and mine's not NEAR that big!
I can hardly wait until it gets large enough and blooms for me.

Yes, the fence is great too!

Didn't realize the bloom time is not in the database for this plant.

Can someone tell me please?

Hiya -

I'm attaching an image taken today, with a side by side comparison of the plant on 8/20/03. The wind played havoc with it last week, but it's hanging in there. There are a couple more flower stalks coming up from the base.

It's been a month since it started blooming. It has been blooming sporadically a few blooms at a time. I thought it was ready to do its thing a month ago, but it just keeps putting on new flower stalks.....apparently the BIG show is yet to come.

Here's a thread with some additional images of this same plant: http://davesgarden.com/t/397725/

PS Didya notice the nasty metal hardware cloth on the fence? Put there to keep the California Ground Squirrels out......in reality all it did was give them something to climb on. Didn't delay them a bit when they were on a mission to mow my entire garden.

I hated to do it (well not really, by the time I did the dastardly deed I was very angry!), but I did start baiting for them a couple weeks ago. They have gone missing, so one of two things has happened:

I got them. (All 20 or so?????)
or
They are hybernating in their dens (mid-Sept is the time they begin the cycle) or just hanging out with full bellies laughing their heads off at the crazy garden lady.

Hardly noticed the metal hardware cloth ~ not until you mentioned it, in fact. It's what we use in Louisiana at the base of our trees to keep the beavers from chopping them down!!

Can't wait to see the show of your Verbascum though!!!

My flowers bloom in early a.m. when sunny (but before sun hits them), and flowers close by midday, probably because they are already fertilized. (See Angela Overy's "Sex in Your Garden" - a hoot and educational, too! Her book is why I think this. The bees adore them.) Nonetheless, the silvery stalks are great at any time, especially evening

After a dark storm has passed, new flowers open. Mine bloom most of the summer. The side shoots arise when there is more rain, resulting in unusual top growth that causes the whole stalk to bend. The one on the left is already horizontal and the one on the right is developing new growth at top that is starting to bend it. They will also reach for sun, but these have a gravity effect.

Forgot to add that poor bloom in SF could be reduced sunlight. Pic in reply above was taken as sun was returning (from behind) during rain, so flowers were closed. Here is a closeup of the "head" at about 8 a.m.