Verbascum Thapsus (Mullein)

Mullein, also known as candlewick plant, is a biennial and is said to grow wherever soil has been disturbed so that it can replenish the ground. It does have some preferences, however. It does particularly well in Zones 3 to 8. Habitats include mountainsides up to 9,000 feet after forest fires, urban gardens at 2,500 feet, disturbed ground above 5,500 feet within the western half of the Southwest. Growing conditions are full sun and disturbed soils.

Medicinally, mullein is well known for its respiratory uses. The full rundown on mullein from my herbalism studies shows that it has many other uses such as: respiratory infections, colds and spasmodic coughs, bronchial infections and asthma, glandular imbalances (leaves), ear infections and pain (flowers), lung and bronchial congestion, sore/irritated throat, lymphatic congestion, cramps and diarrhea (roots), flu, emphysema, laryngitis, hoarseness, whooping cough, hay fever, colic, constipation, facial neuralgia and urinary tract irritation.

It is no surprise that it has all those uses considering the many actions and properties it has such as:

Alterative, anodyne, antiasthmatic, anticatarrhal, antiseptic, antispasmodic, antitussive, astringent, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, hemostatic, narcotic (flowers), nutritive, pectoral, sedative (flowers), vulnerary, and tonic.

There is also folklore that mullein (aka cowboy toilet paper) can be used when in a bind and caught with your pants down needing some toilet paper! However, don’t be fooled! Mullein is very soft for sure but the leaves contain tiny little hairs that can also cause irritation in those sensitive areas.

Recently as part of my herbalism course, I am making a mullein and garlic oil for earaches. We travelled to a place higher in elevation where I knew we could find plenty of its flowers. The oil is still steeping and will soon be ready to strain and bottle for any upcoming earaches. The recipe is simple. Gather enough fresh flowers to fill about half to three-fourths of a bottle, but dry wilt the flowers just until they start to wilt. This helps get enough moisture out prior to adding oil and helps the oil from going rancid. I also added about one-fourth of a cup of minced garlic to the oil (I air dry that also for a few days). The oil sits in the window sill for about 4 to 6 weeks with a shake to the bottle every day. Then, it gets strained out and the oil gets bottled.

I recently found a beautiful mullein plant growing on our property and took some photos. It had fresh morning dew in the very center and was so soft. I’m excited to have one growing so close (even though they are considered an invasive plant).

Here are my resources: The Science & Art of Herbalism Rosemary Gladstar’s Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health The Way of Herbs by Michael Tierra, L.Ac., O.M.D. The Green Pharmacy by James A. Duke, Ph.D. Herbal Medicine from the Heart of the Earth by Dr. Sharol Marie Tilgner Southwest Medicinal Plants by John Slattery

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