Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

In my previous blog, I began writing about mullein, used as an expectorant for coughs. That's it in the lower right corner of this photo of thyme, taken when it's in the rosette form, early in its life, probably in May here in the Ozarks. Thyme would be a good tea ingredient if one had a cold, as it's constituents include anti-viral and anti-bacterial action, as well as aromatic sinus-clearing properties.

Full sun is the place to find mullein. Sometimes here in the forest, full sun isn't quite what we get. This particular specimen on the left was about 6 feet tall in mid July when the flowering stalk shot up to bloom. Tiny bees love to visit the blossoms, as they bloom intermittently up the stalk. I have collected these blooms to infuse (soak) in olive oil, which I later used as an ear oil for swimmer's ear. Many days of collections were necessary since only a few flowers come out daily.

When I was an herb gardener at the Ozark Folk Center's display garden in 1986, the year it was dedicated, visitors would grab my attention with stories of how old-timers used this plant.

"My mother made me smoke those mullein cigarettes all the time," one older gentleman emphasized, "for my asthma."

Another person said their neighbor gathered all the mullein leaves in the neighborhood so he could make a poultice for arthritis pain in his hands.

A poultice is a steamed bunch of leaves in a very small amount of water, cooled enough to apply as a compress. My herbal guide, The Herb Book, by John Lust, lists mullein as an anodyne, which means pain reliever. Other properties listed: anti-spasmodic, demulcent, diuretic, expectorant, vulnerary. This plant was brought to North America by immigrants who valued it. Not a native species, it has naturalized well. Seeds may be collected off the tall dead stalks and scattered on the surface of the soil, or just lay a stalk where you want a plant to grow.

In this photo of the Ozark Folk Center's Herb Garden from '86, my daughter Allison is below the hill created by the root cellar, upon which 2 mullein plants volunteered, as their seeds were in soil brought in from the nearby White River bottomland. The cabin built by Folk Center workers no longer stands here, as a donated cabin was built in its place. But the herb garden goes on, as does many valuable programs and workshops the public can attend. Use the link above to learn more.