What is the scientific name of mullein?
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), also known as great mullein or common mullein is a native biennial plant of Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. It has been used in herbal medicine for at least centuries. It is a tough and drought tolerant, sometimes weedy, species of mullein. Mullein’s name originates from an old French word that means soft.
Is mullein native to Michigan?
A biennial forb (a herbaceous flowering plant that’s not a grass) native to Eurasia and Africa, common mullein was introduced in the 1700s, and noted in Michigan by 1839. Preferring sunny, dry soils though highly adaptable, it requires open areas like meadows and forest openings for growth.
How tall do mullein plants grow?
Learning how to grow mullein is easy; just watch it grow once it has sprouted, if you have the common type. Varieties of mullein, or velvet plants, in gardens need a little more care. Mullein plants of the common variety can grow as tall at 10 feet (3 m.) when flowering.
Is mullein an invasive plant?
Common mullein in gardens is considered a noxious and invasive weed in many states, but more than 300 varieties of ornamental mullein plants can grow in the garden or natural areas without abundant reseeding. Learning how to grow mullein is easy; just watch it grow once it has sprouted, if you have the common type.
Is mullein an invasive species?
Mullein is an easy-to-grow plant, often seen growing in fields and ditches. Because of its ease to grow and spread uncontrollably it is considered an invasive weed in many states, including Colorado.
Where does mullein grow in the US?
Verbascum thapsus (common mullein, woolly mullein) is a biennial or annual forb (family Scrophulariaceae) that occurs throughout California, but is particularly abundant in dry valleys on the eastern side of the Sierra Nevada.
Where does wild mullein grow?
Common mullein (Verbascum thapsus) grows in pastures and meadows that have been neglected, on the side of the road and the edges of woods, along fence rows, in vacant lots and industrial areas. In the first year, plants grow low to the ground, bearing rosettes of hairy leaves.
Who should not use mullein?
Preliminary research suggests mullein may be toxic in excessive doses. Although there is insufficient information, women who are pregnant or are nursing should avoid the use of any herbal product containing mullein. When buying: Select products with pure 100 percent mullein.
What does mullein do for the lungs?
Mullein has been used traditionally as a remedy for the respiratory tract, including bronchitis. It works as an expectorant, meaning it helps expel mucus. Expectorant herbs help loosen bronchial secretions and make elimination of mucus easier.
What plant is known as Cowboy toilet paper?
Common mulleinCommon mullein, a sun-loving weed also called cowboy toilet paper, is in great abundance this year ironically. We don't recommend it for that purpose, however, as the hairy leaves and stems may cause a contact dermatitis. Verbascum thapsus was introduced to the Americas as an herb with medicinal and other uses.
Is mullein a narcotic?
The whole plant possesses slightly sedative and narcotic properties. The seeds are mostly used as a narcotic and also contain saponins. The dried leaves are sometimes smoked to relieve the irritation of the respiratory mucus membranes, and for hacking coughs.
Can you eat mullein raw?
Natural Forms. Mullein is not generally eaten raw, but rather is dried and crushed.
Does mullein have any poisonous look alikes?
There is another look alike to Mullein that is poisonous and that plant is Foxglove (Digitalis purpurea). Foxglove also has fuzzy leaves that are darker and with a scalloped to serrated margin on the edge of the leaf.
Is mullein toxic to humans?
Mullein leaves and flowers are on the FDA's GRAS (generally recognized as safe) list, and there have been no credible reports of serious adverse effects. However, mullein seeds contain the insecticide and fish poison rotenone. While rotenone is relatively safe in humans, it does present some toxic risks.
Can I drink mullein tea everyday?
Pour 1 cup of water over 1–2 teaspoons of dried mullein leaves or flowers. Steep it for 10-15 minutes before drinking. You can drink the tea three or four times a day.
Is mullein poisonous to dogs?
Mullein is a safe, natural herb that you can turn into an effective remedy from the comfort of your own home. It's affordable, it's accessible, and it's completely safe to use. Unless your dog has an unusual allergic reaction, you do not need to worry about adverse effects.
Does mullein have side effects?
Side effects Some species of mullein may cause contact dermatitis , a skin reaction that can cause itching, rash, and irritation. If you have sensitive skin or are prone to allergic reactions, be sure to do a patch skin test before using mullein on your skin.
Is mullein the same as lamb's ear?
Lambs ear (Stachys byzantina) and mullein (Verbascum sp.) are both plants with velvety, wooly leaves. They are in different families, require somewhat different cultural conditions and have different growth habits.
What are the benefits of drinking mullein tea?
Mullein is an expectorant, which means it helps the body expel excess mucus, usually by helping make your coughs more productive, to bring up mucus that may be settling in the chest or in the throat. It is also a demulcent. Studies show that demulcents create a soothing anti-inflammatory coating over mucous membranes.
Does mullein tea have side effects?
Potential side effects of mullein tea Yet, the mullein plant may cause skin irritation for some people, so be sure to exercise caution if you're handling the herb directly ( 15 ). The tiny hairs of the plant can also irritate your throat, which is why it's important to strain this tea thoroughly before drinking it.
Where is Mullein native to?
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus), also known as great mullein or common mullein is a native biennial plant of Europe, northern Africa, and Asia. It has been used in herbal medicine for at least centuries. It is a tough and drought tolerant, sometimes weedy, species of mullein.
Where can I find Mullein?
Mullein is found throughout North America including Canada, Mexico, and all US states including Alaska and Hawaii. Moreover, it grows at elevations from sea level to up to 10,000 feet. Mullein prefers disturbed low-quality sites that are well-draining. Full sun is where mullein is found. It is intolerant of shade. Look for mullein in natural areas such as dry pastures, meadows, and open forest areas. It is also common in disturbed areas such as road cuts and edges, along railways, and industrial areas. Not exclusively but in general, mullein is found in gravelly and sandy soil situations.
What is mullein root used for?
Also, mullein root was powdered and made into poultices for wound care, rashes, and infection by the Zuni people of New Mexico. Mullein leaves were also used to line shoes to help keep feet warm.
How long has Mullein been used?
Mullein has been used in traditional medicine for at least 2000 years. It was first recommended in De Materia Medica by Dioscorides, a Greek physician, pharmacologist, and botanist.
What is the name of the plant that makes toilet paper?
Mullein’s name originates from an old French word that means soft. The soft yet durable fuzzy chartreuse leaves even make great emergency toilet paper. In fact, one of the mullein’ s many common names is Velvet Plant. The mullein we are familiar with is part of a genus of plants called Verbascum. Verbascum has over 200 species.
How tall is a mullein?
In its first season, mullein forms a basal rosette of silvery green leaves. In its second season, the tall, up to 8 feet, flower stalk grows from the center of the basal rosette. Often, mullein is found growing in colonies.
What are the active compounds in mullein?
These include saponins which may help pain and inflammation. Additionally, other mullein active compounds are flavonoids, phenylethanoids, and iridoids which are antioxidative and anti-inflammatory.
Where is Mullein native to?
A biennial forb (a herbaceous flowering plant that’s not a grass) native to Eurasia and Africa, common mullein was introduced in ...
What is a mullein plant?
Common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, is known by its upright appearance, fuzzy leaves, and yellow flowers. From the Latin “mollis,” meaning soft, even nicknames sound benign: velvet leaf, flannel plant, big taper, cowboy toilet paper. But it’s location, location, location combined with how (seeds) and where (open sites) that elevate it from common weed to invasive plant in 20 states, including Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, and all western states. A biennial forb (a herbaceous flowering plant that’s not a grass) native to Eurasia and Africa, common mullein was introduced in the 1700s, and noted in Michigan by 1839.
How big do Mullein flowers get?
First year growth is a rosette of flannelly, oblong, whitish green decurrent leaves (leaves that partially wrap around stems and grow down or along the stems) around 4-12 inches long and 1-5 inches wide , covered in woolly hairs, all anchored by thick, deep taproots.
Can you pull mullein before planting?
Pulling is ideal, especially before the flowers set seed, as the tap root is more easily removed than tap roots of many other invasive plants. Cut, remove, dispose of all obvious flowering parts; avoid disturbing the soil as that’s a certain welcome mat for other mullein plants to grow.
What is mullein used for?
Although thought of primarily as a weed, common mullein has been used as an herbal remedy for coughs and diarrhea, and topical applications against a variety of skin problems. The flowers were also used to make yellow, green or brown dyes, depending on how they were processed.
What is a wooly Mullein?
A dense infestation of common mullein. This plant, also known as wooly mullein, is an herbaceous biennial or short-lived perennial with a deep tap root. In the first year plants are low-growing rosettes of felt-like leaves. The whorl of leaves emerge from the root crown at the soil surface. The bluish gray-green, oblong to lanceolate leaves are ...
How to control mullein?
Common mullein is easily managed in smaller areas by manually removing the plants before flowering, preventing soil disturbance and establishing dense vegetative cover that will prevent seed germination. In larger areas, such as nature reserves, single plants and small groups on the edge of the infestation should be targeted first, then working deeper into the infestation. Plants should be pulled, hoed or dug by hand (easiest when the soil is moist) as soon as they are big enough to hold onto, but before they go to seed. Herbicides are generally only used when infestations are very dense but may not be effective because the hairy leaf surface reduces absorption of chemicals. Prescribed burning can also be used during wet weather and when there is snow cover. Mowing is not effective, as the rosettes just increase in size and then bolt once mowing is stopped.
How many petals does Mullein have?
The tall inflorescences of common mullein, with the flowers blooming in a spiral up the stalk. Individual flowers have 5 petals. The fruit is a rounded capsule that splits into two valves at maturity. Each contains dozens of tiny brown seeds. The six-sided seeds are pitted and rough with wavy ridges and deep grooves.
What is the common weed in the family Scrophulariaceae?
Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus. Common Mullein, Verbascum thapsus. Common mullein. In midsummer, the tall flower stalks of common mullein, Verbascum thapsus, begin to poke up, making this common weed in the family Scrophulariaceae highly noticeable in the road cuts and waste areas where it thrives. Native to Europe, northern Africa and Asia, it ...
Where is Mullein found?
While Mullein is more or less common across the west it “has found its niche” (Moore) in the West’s pinon/juniper and ponderosa belts. One can expect it to either be established in most of the West, or follow after soil has been opened, after development.
How to help mullein?
A small step to help is to simply allow mullein to proliferate on your property: new, old, or rental. Welcoming mullein and allowing it to thrive on your property will provide some support for pollinators and ultimately bird, and small mammal species. Everything is connected, as Population Ecology teaches us. Mullein is a hardy native, soft and sturdy requiring no extra effort to thrive on your part. Whether you care to make your own medicines or not, consider mullein’s value to bees, bumblebees, butterflies, moths, dragonflies, who are needing nectar and nourishment that is toxin free and safe to consume. In this case, all you have to do is… nothing. What could be simpler?
What is the purpose of collecting Mullein flowers?
Collecting mullein flowers is an act of meditation . Since the flowers blossom in a staggered sequence, collecting them is a lot like picking berries, they’re not all ripe at the same time. While collecting enough flowers to prepare a supply of mullein oil, I had occasion to enjoy the bounty of the bright yellow flowers daily with different species of western wild bees, bumblebees, birds, and butterflies. Moore mentions he collected flowers with a grapefruit spoon. The flowers have to be collected while in bloom so taking the entire stalk is self-defeating and destructive to the species returning the next day for another feed.
Does Mullein help with throat spasms?
The dried leaves and flowers (collected in bloom) are useful for reducing spasms of the lungs in various intensities either as a tea (infusion of the dried leaves or flowers) or smoked.
Can you drink Mullein tea?
For precise directions, please refer to “Medicinal Plants of the Mountains West” by Michael Moore. Moore, a well-known modern herbalist (and composer) indicates that there is no toxicity in using mullein in any quantity. He does suggest straining the flower infusions to catch the tiny hairs which may tickle the throat of people with pronounced allergies.
What is a Mullein plant?
They’re often attractive, with tall spikes of yellow flowering rosettes. This biennial plant, Verbascum thapsus, was historically used as an herbal treatment for coughs, congestion, chest colds, bronchitis, and inflammation.
Where do Mullein seeds germinate?
Seeds often germinate in disturbed areas of roadways, fields and river banks.
How tall does Mullein grow?
Varieties of mullein, or velvet plants, in gardens need a little more care. Mullein plants of the common variety can grow as tall at 10 feet (3 m.) when flowering. Once you’ve planted mullein in gardens, expect to spend time removing fuzzy rosettes if you don’t want it to spread.
Is Mullein invasive?
Hybrid types of mullein in the garden are not as invasive as the common type. Grouped together and called ornamental mullein, hybrid varieties are more suitable when growing mullein in gardens. Flower in colors of white, pink, lavender, and yellow compliment the sunny garden.
Is Mullein a weed?
Common mullein in gardens is considered a noxious and invasive weed in many states, but more than 300 varieties of ornamental mullein plants can grow in the garden or natural areas without abundant reseeding.
Facts
Common mullein is a to Eurasia and Africa that develops a of felt-like leaves the first year, then bolts to heights of six feet or more. This plant was introduced in the mid eighteenth century as the source of a fish poison.
Habitat
Anthropogenic (man-made or disturbed ), cliffs, balds, or ledges, meadows and fields, ridges or ledges
Conservation Status
Exact status definitions can vary from state to state. For details, please check with your state.
What is Mullein in Minnesota?
Common Mullein is likely one of the under-reported weeds in Minnesota.
What is Mullein weed?
Common Mullein is a weedy species of dry, disturbed soils , often seen in large groups on roadsides, empty lots, railroads, gravel pits, and degraded fields. While weedy, it's not an especially problematic pest in high quality habitat and can be managed with a bit of hand pulling, the taproot usually coming up without a lot of effort. The dead, brown stems with the remains of the flower cluster persist through winter and into spring, reminding me of a graveyard when any quantity of plants is encountered. The first year, Common Mullein is just a rosette of basal leaves, 1 to 2 feet across with the flowering stem bolting the second year. Common Mullein has gone by about 50 different common names, including Velvet Plant, Flannel Plant, Hare's Beard, and others that refer to the leaves. Common Mullein is likely one of the under-reported weeds in Minnesota.
How tall does Mullein grow?
Mullein can grow, when left alone, up to seven feet tall, with large leaves covered in silver and felt-like hairs. Once blossomed, the flowers are yellow and take up half of the stem. The plant flowers from November to March. Most people consider it a nuisance, but there is so much more to the plant!
What are the parts of mullein?
The leaves and flowers are the most common parts used. Infused oils, tinctures, capsules, lozenges, herbal teas and poultices are all common application methods for mullein. Make Powerful Herbal Medicines, Right in Your Kitchen! For centuries, people used mullein in herbal remedies, such as to soothe the respiratory tract.
What is mullein used for?
For centuries, people used mullein in herbal remedies, such as to soothe the respiratory tract. But it can do so much more.
What is mullein tea good for?
In general, one of the most common applications of mullein is for respiratory issues . Asthma, bronchitis and allergies can be treated with mullein tea. It also is effective against sore throats, as well as the other listed issues such as coughing and spasms.
What is the name of the weed that Native Americans used to grow?
You might know it by some of its other common names, such as feltwort, blanket leaf, candlewick and velvet dock. It is Mullein, a common backyard weed the Native Americans used. And it has surprising medicinal properties. Identifying Mullein. Mullein can grow, when left alone, up to seven feet tall, with large leaves covered in silver ...
Is Mullein a good medicine for the flu?
Of course, the flu can be dangerous, so seek medical help if you experience worsening symptoms. Image source: Pixabay.com. 2. Pain. Mullein has analgesic properties that have a numbing effect on your nerves. It is a great choice to stop transmitting pain to the brain.
Does Mullein help with insomnia?
Because of its relaxant properties, mullein also reduces blood pressure. Many people use mullein to help with chronic insomnia.
