On this blog not long ago, I mentioned giving my sick husband mullein tea; I wanted to include a link to where I'd posted about the medicinal properties of this common weed - but soon discovered I'd never made such a post! Somehow, I'd neglected to share this important plant with you. So although mullein won't appear in your yard or wilderness areas until spring, I want to share information about mullein
now. That way, when you
do spot mullein growing in your area, you can harvest some of the plant for your medicine cabinet.
Many herbal recipes aren't proven by science - primarily because there is little to no profit in spending time and money on testing them. But mullein, in many cases, has been tested and found beneficial. My family has greatly benefited from this herb - so much so, I let it grow in my yard, wherever the wind and birds plant it's seeds. Yes, even if it's in the middle of the tomato patch!
Identifying Mullein
Mullein is sometimes called "cowboy toilet paper" because it has velvety soft leaves that, could, I suppose, serve as toilet paper. (But those leaves also have little hairs on them, so I wouldn't personally want to use it in place of TP!) In the mullein's first year, it grows a rosette of those soft, elongated, oval, gray-green leaves that stay low to the ground.
In the plant's second year, it grows a tall stem without branches. Depending upon growing conditions, this stem can get quite high - at least several feet, up to around six feet.
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| Mullein in it's second year. (Courtesy of Magnus Manske and Wikimedia.) |
The plant's stem-less yellow flowers (about 1 1/2 inches across when fully open) grow on this pole-like stem and bloom from late spring to early fall.
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| Mullein beginning to bloom. (Courtesy
Leslie Seaton and Wikimedia.) |
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| Mullein blooming. (Courtesy MPF and Wikimedia. |
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| Mullein flower. (Courtesy H. Zell and Wikimedia.) |
Mullein Flowers as Medicine
Mullein flower oil (or an infusion of the flowers in olive oil) has long been used as an ear infection cure, and
two scientific studies support claims that it works at least as well - and perhaps better than - antibiotics. Mullein flowers are also sometimes used to treat gout and migraines, as well as bruises, rashes, and skin irritations.
Mullein Leaves as Medicine
Mullein leaves are analgesic (pain relieving), antihistaminic (for treating allergic reactions), anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, astringent, antiviral, inhibits bacterial growth, and works as a fungicide. In addition, mullein leaves are traditionally used to treat diarrhea and congestion in the chest. They've been used to treat wounds, hemorrhoids, and skin infections, too. Web MD notes that mullein is used for "cough, whooping cough,
tuberculosis, bronchitis, hoarseness, pneumonia, earaches, colds, chills, flu,
swine flu, fever, allergies, tonsillitis, and sore throat. Other uses include
asthma, diarrhea, colic, gastrointestinal bleeding, migraines, joint pain, and
gout. It is also used as a sedative and as a diuretic to increase urine output." In addition, a tea made from the leaves helps relieve hemorrhoidal irritation or perineal itching. (For ease of application, place the tea in a sitz bath.)
Mullein Roots as Medicine
Mullein roots are traditionally used for urinary and bladder control (including problems due to a swollen prostate). The roots are also a diuretic and a mild astringent.
According to herbalist Jim McDonald, “One of my students used an infusion of Mullein root to treat Bell's
Palsy that occurred as a complication of Lyme's disease, and it resolved the
problem completely. Years after that
David Winston told me he'd been using it for Bell's Palsy for well over a
decade, and considered it useful in other cases of facial nerve pain…”
More commonly, a decoction of the roots is used to treat toothaches, and to stop cramps and convulsions. The roots may also be used to treat migraines and
sciatica.
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| Mullein leaves. (Courtesy
John Tann and Wikimedia). |
Preparations
Tea of leaves: Pack a tea ball with dried leaves. Pour boiling water into a cup, add the tea ball, and steep. Cover with a saucer while steeping, until the tea stops steaming.
Tea of roots: Boil 1 tablespoon of dried root in 1 cup water for 10 - 15 min. Pour the liquid through a coffee
filter or double layer of cheesecloth. Drink up to 3 cups per
day.
Compress of flowers: Pour 1 cup of boiling water over 1
tablespoon of dried flowers; cover. Steep until cool; strain. Soak a clean
cloth in the tea, wring it out and place it on the affected areas. Cover the
compress with plastic wrap. Change it twice daily.
Steam: Add a
handful of flowers to a bowl of hot water. Cover head with a towel and
deeply inhale the vapors.
Oil of flowers (for Ear Infections/Ear Wax
Build Up/ Infected Piercings/Ear Mites in animals): Pick fresh flowers and
let them wilt for a few hours to reduce their moisture content. Put the flowers in a clean glass jar. Fill the jar with olive oil. (You might need to top it off the following day.) Cap the jar and place it in a warm location for about a month. Strain through a coffee filter or a double layer of cheesecloth. Pour into a clean glass jar. Apply with a Q-tip. (Mullein flower oil is often combined with infused garlic oil.)
CAUTIONS: When using Mullein leaves, always strain them from liquid, since they have little hairs that can prove irritating. The entire Mullein plant is said to possess slightly
sedative and narcotic properties; personally, my family has never experienced these. The seeds of Mullein are considered toxic and have
been historically used as a narcotic.
Disclaimer
I am not a doctor, nor should anything on this website
(www.ProverbsThirtyOneWoman.blogspot.com) be considered medical advice. The FDA
requires me to say that products mentioned, linked to, or displayed on this
website are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. The
information on this web site is designed for general informational purposes
only. It is not intended to be a substitute for qualified medical advice or care.
There are no assurances of the information being fit or suited to your medical
needs, and to the maximum extent allow by law disclaim any and all warranties
and liabilities related to your use of any of the information obtained from the
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should it be used as a substitute for a visit to, consultation with, or the
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