The Many Gifts of Mullein
“She’ll sing the relationship of bone to water or air to skin, in a way that makes you wonder how you never saw those patterns for yourself. Call on Mullein when you need a torch in the darkness or an overview of the whole so you can understand the parts.” Maia Toll from The Illustrated Herbiary
I recently moved to a new area, one in which Mullein grows like a weed. I was delighted and pleased to meet this new herb friend. I didn’t have the heart to remove the many volunteers dotting my new garden space, so we have learned much about each other, each trying to respect the others space, but often working closely together. I have found Mullein to be a gentle and forgiving companion with an abundance of gifts.
In the doctrine of signatures, which are clues to a plants many uses, Mullein represents standing up tall and erect and has benefits for the spine as well as the silvery hairs of the leaves being signatures to the villi of the lungs. The flowering stalk is tall and straight like our spines, thus encouraging us to stand up straight or energetically to stand up to things. I have been feeling this nudge lately.
The Mullein flowers
The adorable little yellow flowers growing along the stalk resemble little ears and are indeed good for making an infused oil for earaches. The Mullein plant is a biennial so you’ll only find the flowers in the second year. I also like to dry the flowers to add to tea blends. They add a little pop of yellow and add additional support for the lungs.
Young Mullein in it’s first year
Let’s talk about these leaves… huge, soft, pillowy leaves. Their silvery green color stands out among the more vibrant green all around them and reflects the moons glow at night. I love to brush against them in the garden, like a gentle touch.
The dried leaves can be made into a tea to support and strengthen the lungs. I recently made a facial steam with Mullein and Yarrow for my skin and to breathe in for my lungs. I haven’t experienced anything like it before. It was like my lungs were being caressed and gently healed.
2nd year Mullein about to send up a flowering stalk
Historically, the leaves have been known to make a great natural toilet paper- but be careful, some people can be sensitive to the little hairs that make the leaves fuzzy. The Native Americans used Mullein as smoke and medicine. It may seem counterintuitive, but inhaling the smoke from the leaves is a great way to get the medicine into the lungs for healing.
This plant has benefits all the way down to the roots. The root can be used for back pain and for strengthening the bladder. I found the following quote on Herb Mentor (a great resource for learning more about herbs):
Matthew Wood describes his reasoning for mullein’s mechanism of action in his book, The Earthwise Herbal: A Complete Guide to Old World Medicinal Plants: “It releases synovial fluid into the bursa and disperses internal fluids into the surrounding tissues, lubricating joints, muscles, bones, and ligaments. It is thus a remedy for complex fractures, where the bone needs to be lubricated to be returned to its place. It is also indicated in spinal dryness, inflexibility, and pain, and nerve pain along pinched or irritated nerve tracts.”
I hope this makes you more curious about this gentle giant that grows wild around us. Does Mullein grow near you?? I’d love to hear how you use it.
Mountain Rose Herbs is a great place to get dried mullein and loads of other herbs and supplies. They are a company I trust and value. Here is a link to shop: https://aspireiq.go2cloud.org/SH6fe
Skipping down the plant path of magic and wonder,
-Sandee