Mullein

Gentle giants’ way in the rhythmic breeze whispering, “come dance with me”, as soft velvet leaves reach out for a partner. Great Mullein, (Verbascum Thapsus) commonly thought of as an invasive weed, has an unmistakable presence.

This striking, tall, fuzzy-leaved biennial is often found in disturbed soils and is known for its pollinator-friendly flower spikes.

Great mullein likes to grow in open, eroded places where other plants find it hard to grow. thriving in full sun and dry, sandy, or gravelly soils, it is drought tolerant.

Considered a pioneer plant that colonizes damaged, disturbed ground helping to stabilize it with its large root structures.

The first year of growth produces a wide rosette of soft, wooly leaves, the rosette sometimes as large as 30 inches across with leaves up to 2 feet long. In its first year photosynthesis makes sugars which are converted into starches and sent to the roots to be used in the second year when the large stalk and flower spike will be grown. The second year is when mullein really makes itself known.

Very large leaves skirt the bottom, tapering up te stalk into smaller top leaves while sending up a long flower spire. The entire plant stands anywhere 3 to 8 feet tall; It is an impressive sight.

the flowers that crown the spire are small, yellow, five-petalled blooms with long stamens; bees and other beneficial insects are attracted to the hundreds of flowers on each spire. Each flower lasts only one day, opening in the morning to be visited by pollinators and then closing and dropping the petals after being pollinated. Fortunately they bloom continually along the tall spire from June into August and one plant can produce hundreds of thousands of seeds. These seeds may remain viable for up to one hundred years. With these facts, you can understand the potential for mullein to become invasive, but mullein is not a competitive species, intolerant of shade and and easily crowded out in the cultivation of other plants. Mullein is best controlled by hand pulling as well as cutting bloom spikes before seed production. The long-lasting seeds will become part of the soil seed bank waiting for conditions to be once again amenable for germination and to perform its role as a soil stabilizer.

Native to Europe, North Africa, Asia and now quite at home in North America, mullein has been a valuable plant to many cultures. The big, soft leaves were used as natural insoles and insulation in shoes, as diapers and as natural toilet paper. Stems persist into the winter and the dried stalks dipped in tallow to use as torches, lighting the way for Roman armies.

The seeds provide winter food for song birds but also contain a piscincide (saponin rotenone) which was used to stun or kill fish by throwing the crushed seeds into bodies of water.

Mullein has been used medicinally for thousands of years predominantly as a respiratory aid, but it was also used traditionally as a gently support to loosen up us, fight infection,soothe inflammation and calm irritated airways. The leaves and flowers were brewed into a tea, which is strained to remove the fine hairs found on the leaves (trichomes) which can irritate the throat. Mullein is reported to contain polyphenols, flavonoids and anti-oxidants along with anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial constituents. A 2023 study showed ani-viral activity against influenza and herpes.

As a cool, moisturizing herb, oil infusions can be used in salves to soothe skin. Mullein infused oils have also been used for earaches, burns and eczema. Poultices of mullein leaves softened in hot water have been applied to the skin to help reduce swelling, hemorrhoids and minor wounds. Mullein tinctures are used to help the body expel mucus and fight infections. While

mullein has been used to treat coughs, bronchitis and congestion, it is not a treatment for chronic lung disease; it will not replace inhalers, oxygen or prescribed medicine. In fact, it can counteract prescribed medications and one should always consult with their physician or professional herbalist before using plant medicines.

(We intend to provide facts and lore about plants that live in our community so that we can learn about the nature that surrounds us and we are not providing this information as trained professionals. Before using any plants, consult with professionals.)

The values of mullein extend far beyond the label of bothersome weed; this plant is of great value to the land, to wildlife, to humans and all important pollinators in our community.

Sometimes full squadrons of mullein can be found, reminiscent of the Roman armies for whom they once lit the road, holding the ground firm until new occupiers march in to grow.

So, if you’ve been “mullein it over”, maybe set up to a tall Verbascum Thapsus this summer and indulge in the whimsy of a dance! 😜