One of our most common flowers in the Florida sandhills is twiggy mullein (Verbascum virgatum), also often called wand mullein. It starts blooming in the early spring and continues, a few flowers at a time, until the first frost. It’s pretty drought tolerant and loves direct sunlight. The bright yellow flowers are beautiful in their own right, but the centers are my favorite part. Each stamen is topped by a bright yellow anther and is covered in small purple and white hairs. Those colors in combination with the yellow petals really appeal to my eye. The little hairs add both complexity and texture. The lone green pistil stands out in its simplicity. The centers of flowers are always interesting. Each species is different and there are even differences in individual flowers, but I have to say that the center of a twiggy mullein flower is one of my favorites.