It’s unbelievably soft, though not extremely absorbent. There’s a lot of lore about substituting the fuzzy leafed mullein for toilet paper, out in the wild. It’s most prominently found by roadsides, so maybe grab some and keep walking :-D Use of the leaves, flowers and seeds of this weed abound in older herbal literature, though it has been relatively ignored in the U.S. in more recent times. Some of mullein’s other common names are Aaron’s rod, torch, flannel leaf, velvet dock, cowboy toilet paper, and wild tobacco. Second most noted to the softness of the large, gray fuzzed leaves is the prominent flowering stem that emerges in the second year of its biennial life. This stem varies in size from 30cm, 12 inches, to 200 cm, 6 plus feet in height and up to 2 inches thick. This is what catches people’s attention as they walk or drive by this weed. Surrounding the flowering plants are often much smaller first year plants, presenting as greyish green rosettes.
Formally named Verbascum thapsus, our common mullein is said to have originated in Europe, Northern Africa, and Asia, and to have hitchhiked with humans to the remainder of the temperate world. This member of the family Scrophulaceae (figworts / snapdragons) occupies Zones 3a to 9b. Though not an aggressive spreader, it is considered invasive in Colorado and Hawaii.
Rosettes of mullein form from seed and remain as such in their first year of life. The small leaves resemble lambs ear a bit. Mullein sprouts can be visible in the dead of winter, as featured in the very first post from weedom. Usually in the second year of life, a flowering stem is sent up using all the energy stored in the roots of the first year. This stem varies greatly in size, as mentioned above, depending on the growth conditions. During years with plentiful rain, the stems are huge, and each flower leaves behind a fruit filled with tiny, dark brown seeds, which can number in the hundreds of thousands per plant. It is thought that there are few mechanisms for wide dispersal of these small seeds, and perhaps this is due to low palatability. (There are variable opinions about seeds toxicity.) Mullein normally appears in colonies along roadsides, with many small plants appearing next to last year’s flowering plants. It prefers mostly sunny conditions (required for sprouting) well drained or hard soil, of pH that is acidic to neutral. It does not tolerate standing water, and will fall over in soil which is too rich and loamy.
Green color of the leaves is disguised to a greyish green, to almost cream color by the silvery white hairs. Underneath the endlessly profuse leaf hairs, one can observe crenate (dull toothed) margins. Leaves, extending from winged petioles, are oblong and can reach lengths greater than a foot, (30cm). They appear in rosette form, and later arise alternately from the equally hairy flowering stem, gradually decreasing in size towards the top of this spike. Leaf veins are arranged pinnately from a thick central vein.
Cuplike yellow flowers with 5 petals bloom sporadically from long racemes at the top of the flowering stem. The external surface of each petal is hairy. The 5 sepaled, green calyx surrounding the flower is also hairy, as are the upper three of 5 stamens inside the flower. Flowers can be pollinated by bees and other insects, and self pollination is also possible. Hairy seed capsules, up to 1cm long form, which split in half to reveal rough surfaced, brown to copper seeds.
The storied introduction of Verbascum thapsus to North America was first to Virginia, for use as a “pescicide”. Why did those people want to kill fish? To eat them. Apparently fishermen have thrown seeds of this plant into the water to incapacitate the fish, and cause them to float to the surface, where they could easily be caught. This is now frowned upon in ‘developed’ countries, but such practices remain among subsistence fishermen. (Years ago we used electrified chains submerged in the water, to stun fish, but it was for research: counting and characterizing them for population studies. We threw the fish back in the water once we measured and weighed them, and they swam away. ) There are a few claims that Verbascum thapsus seeds contain rotenone (a natural and non-specific insecticide found some members of Fabiaceae family.) We’ll keep looking for a primary reference substantiating this. Henriette Kress attributed the fish incapacitation to saponins, which surely are present in the seeds. Some other folk uses (Pakistan) of the seeds are as a sedative and aphrodisiac.
Anti-inflammatory, anti-microbial, and analgesic constituents found in mullein lend rationale to its history of use for wound healing. A small human trial using an ethanolic extract of mullein flowers, dried down and suspended in Eucerin cream, was compared to placebo in the treatment of episiotomy wounds, in women after they had delivered their babies. The mullein flower cream showed significant favorable influence on healing after 10 days compared to the placebo cream. Flowers extracted into oil have been traditionally used for the pain and inflammation of middle ear infections (otitis media). It is not recommended for cases involving perforated ear drum. Such an oil or ointment made from it has been used topically for inflammations of the skin.
Mullein has a long history of association with the treatment of tuberculosis, as determined by the names of this plant in various languages. Aqueous extracts of the demulcent leaves have long been used to alleviate dry coughs and coughs producing blood in the sputum. It has employed as an expectorant, to bring up secretions from the lungs, and to alleviate asthma. The ubiquitous recommendation to filter tea made from hairy mullein is to prevent irritation from the many branched hairs, and this filtering likely has served to prevent hairballs in humans. In numerous cultures mullein was smoked to address lung issues, and as an alternative or way to discontinue tobacco use. Naturally, when tuberculosis was associated with Mycobacterim tuberculosis infection, researches wondered whether part of the helpfulness of mullein was associated with activity against this bacterium. While inhibitory activity against Mycobacterium smegmatis has been demonstrated in 3 related Verbascum species, there seems not to be much testing of this ability in our mullein. Activity against parasitic worms and viruses has been demonstrated, as well in vitro testing against other bacteria, with favorably high activity against Staphylococcus aureus, Bacillus subtilis, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.
A methanol extract of Verbascum thapsus was tested for activity against roundworms and tapeworms obtained from chicken intestines. Testing of the ability to paralyze and kill the organisms in vitro compared favorably with albendazole, particularly in the case of the tapeworms. Assessment of the mechanisms of smooth muscle relaxation caused by this mullein extract suggests that it affects voltage sensitive L type calcium channels similarly as does the calcium channel blocker verapamil. Smooth muscle relaxation caused by mullein extracts likely contributes in part to the traditional usage of mullein to address asthma.
Delving down to the roots of mullein, we have seen fewer mechanistic investigations, however herbalists are making the extra effort to dig these out of the ground and extract them for various uses. One is to address urinary incontinence. It is hypothesized that this root extract, aqueous or ethanolic, affects the urinary trigone muscle. This is a bi-layered smooth muscle forming a triangle involving the ureteral and urethral openings that relaxes during urination. Perhaps mullein can be the alternative avenue to lessen the woes and travails of over active bladder. It seems to help with stress incontinence in women, and overnight urinary issues with both adults and kids. The demulcent and anti-inflammatory, as well as diuretic properties of the weed can also mitigate irritation and inflammation of the bladder interior, reducing painful urination. (Ahhhhh, best tea ever).
Well known herbalist jim mcdonald specifies mullein root extracts for the treatment of back pain, strengthening of tissues, and for “alignment” both physical and mental, while Matthew Wood has worked with the leaves for pain issues. The mental alignment which some seek from this weed might correspond to a light sedation that many experience with its use. Still others choose the root for alleviating tooth pain. Pain relief, available from the roots and the aerial parts, is multifactorial, as there are a bouquet of anti-inflammatory and antinociceptive types of compounds in this weed. The antinociceptive effect appears to involve peripheral and central nitrergic mechanisms, as well as peripheral opioid mechanisms. Verbascoside, a phenylethanoid glycoside first found in our weed, is being found in many other species, and credited with anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, wound healing and diverse other pharmacological activities.
The leaves can be harvested at any time, but some recommend obtaining them before the flowering part of the stem emerges. Root harvesting is likely best before the plant sends up its stem, (but when the plant is big enough to have some bulk below the ground). There is not too much worry about over harvesting in a particular year. The seeds can last up to 100 years, but remember to keep an area cleared of overgrowth so the mullein can germinate. Most of the more commonly used compounds of the flowers, leaves and roots are able to be extracted in the water of teas and decoctions, and in ethanol tinctures. Traditional doses of this relatively safe herb are fairly large, and a day’s worth of tea would incorporate 10-15 grams of fluffy dried leaf, which occupies up to 3/4 cup, 180 cc. Similarly, 4 tablespoons of dried root would go into a quart of water to make a root decoction to be divided into 2-4 doses over the course of a day.
We’re betting that you’ve seen some mullein lately, if you’ve done any rural driving. Check it out. Visit a plant in the fall, when the stem is brown, and see the zillion seeds it holds. Grow your own! We’d be happy if you’d tell us about your mullein encounters, and if you can capture the fuzz with a better camera :-D
One last note, some people get a little skin irritation from the fuzzy leaves of mullein. Consider testing the leaves on some area like the inside of your arm before you go all natural with it as toilet paper.
Where We Dig
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I'm grateful to fund your Substack. Thank you for this piece on Mullein. It's one of my favorite herbs. I have introduced it to my backyard as I transform what was just bare grass into a pollinator friendly, food producing oasis. I will say that in the fire zones on the West Coast of the US, mullein has become well-known as a summer lung protectant.
To improve contrast photography (even on an iPhone or similar), carry an A4 piece of black card in your pack. Slip it behind the item you want to contrast and photo away.