Mullein

Mullein is a great plant for herbal medicine beginners as it is easy to identify, grows throughout North America, and can be used to treat common illnesses such as bronchitis and ear infections.

A rosette of mullein leaves in early spring.

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Growth Habit

Mullein grows well in rich or poor soil and begins its growth in the spring with soft furry leaves growing in a rosette pattern.  The color is very light green with new leaves almost appearing white.  

Mullein is a biannual which means it lives for two years.  The first year plant maintains its rosette shape with big thick tongue shaped leaves.

Mullein grow each year on the side of our house.

Second year mullein will put up a strong tall stalk and a flower head will form at the top.  The flower head will continue to grow throughout the summer.  

Harvesting the Flowers

New flowers bloom each morning, wilt, and fall off in the evening.  To get the most medicinal value from the flowers, pick them in the morning after the dew has dried.  To pick, pluck individual flowers from the flower head, and enjoy their sweet scent.

Mullein flowers continue to form as the flower spire grows.

Collect mullein flowers in the morning.

Insects enjoy the flowers and you will often find bees and other pollinators buzzing around the flowers.  If you place the picked flowers outdoors for a few hours, the insects will crawl out and fly away.

Fresh picked flowers resting in the shade.

Medicinal Properties - Flowers

Mullein flowers are best known for their ability to reduce the pain and inflammation of earaches when infused in olive oil.  You often see ear drop recipes that combine mullein flowers and garlic.

The pain reducing and anti-inflammatory properties of oil infused with mullein flowers also makes it a helpful treatment for insect bites, bruises, hemorrhoids, and stiff joints.

The infused oil has emollient and antibacterial influences when used to treat skin conditions such as scrapes, cuts, infections, old burns, dry skin, and diaper rash.

Flowers can be infused in oil when fresh and wilted or dried.  I pick and dry mullein flowers for use in the late fall, winter, and spring.  

Click here for instructions for making herbal infused oils.

Harvesting the Leaves

Pick the leaves from first year plants for maximum potency.  Leaves can be used fresh for teas or dried for winter use.  To dry, cut the thick mid-rib down the middle (for faster drying) and place the leaves single layer on a dish towel. Be sure they are out of direct sunlight.   

When the leaves have dried completely, they can be stuffed in a canning jar and vacuumed sealed.  Sunlight and moisture will degrade the quality of dried herbs, so store your herbs in a dark space with low humidity.  Herbs in vacuum sealed jars will store the best. 

Dried leaves.

As a general rule, dried flowers and leaves are potent for roughly a year and roots and barks for two years.

Medicinal Properties Leaves

In Making Plant Medicine, author Richo Cech describes mullein as a "smoothing demulcent to the upper respiratory tract; gently astringent and expectorant." 
He recommends it for treating upper respiratory infection, cough, croup, sore throat, bronchial cattarh, and mild diarrhea. 

Dried or fresh leaves can be infused in water to make a tea.  (Be sure to strain the tea through a tightly woven mesh to remove the small "hairs" that can be irritating to the throat.)

Some people smoke the dried leaves to get the medicine directly into the lungs. (I have not tried this.)

For shrinking ulcers , tumors, glandular swellings and mastitis, Richo suggests picking a large fresh leaf, steaming until flexible and laden with water, cooling, and then applying to the affected area in several layers, covering with a layer of plastic, piling on towels as insulation and leaving it to work for 30 minutes.

Rosemary Gladstar, in Herbal Recipes for Vibrant Health suggests preparing the fresh or newly dried leaves as a tincture or an infusion for bronchial infections, congestion, colds, and coughs.  For glandular problems, including glandular imbalances, combine mullein with echinacea and cleavers. 

Click here tincture making instructions. 

Matthew Wood, in The Earthwise Herbal explains that mullein has emollient qualities which "bring water into harden, closed places....and into dried out tissues" causing release of secretions.  He recommends mullein leaf for "dry, irritable, tickly coughs" as the herb has a calming effect on inflamed and irritated nerves.

Matthew Wood recommends using mullein where there is tightness, as it opens the lungs and sinuses, relaxes the larynx and lubricates mucous membranes.

Term Definitions

Astringent - causing contraction of tissues; lessening of discharge

Cattarh - excessive discharge or buildup of mucus in the noise or throat, associated with inflammation of the mucous membrane.

Demulcent - a bland soothing, often mucilaginous herb that relieves irritation of the mucous membranes by forming a protective film.

Emollient - an herb that softens, moistens, and protects the body tissues, especially the skin and the mucous membranes.

Expectorant - an herb that assists in the expulsion of mucous from the lungs and upper respiratory tract.



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Please note: The objective of this blog is to raise awareness of alternative ways to achieve wellness and to empower you to take an active role in your health decisions.  To accomplish this, you will need to explore these subjects in greater depth and then determine what makes sense for your life.  My hope is that this information will inspire you to start your own search into ways to make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilling.