mighty mullein...

Mullein is a new addition to the Neal's Yard garden, and was added to our order list last year. Luckily we had it popping up all over the place, so we dug it up, putting the smaller plants into the poly tunnel, and transplanting them out to raised beds to join the larger ones once established.

They were doing well, until we discovered that caterpillers love to munch their furry leaves (as you can see in the picture above).
I have since discovered that they are in fact Mullein moths! Although these hungry caterpillers are striking to look at, they were ruining our crop; and as we work on an organic site, every morning was spent picking them off, and releasing them as far away as possible.

mullein overview & medicinal uses:

Name: Verbascum thapsus
Family: Scrophulariaceae (figwort)
Parts used: Leaf, flowers

Some random facts:

• Mullein is known by many other names including candlewick plant,  used to make lamp wicks before cotton was introduced. The down on the leaves and stem are extremely flammable when dried.
• The superstitious believed that witches used mullein as candles during their rituals
• However mullein was also thought to drive away evil spirits and to safeguard people's homes from black magic
• Ulyssess used mullein to defend himself from circe's magic
• Native Indians used the leaves as innersoles as a soft cushion for their feet!
• Mullein is nutritious - containing high levels of iron and magnesium, along with vitamins A, B complex, and D
  
• It can be used as toilet paper!
  

Habitat and cultivation: Mullein is common in the UK, Europe, North America, and can even be found in temperate parts of the Himilayas. It is a hardy plant - drought and frost resistant, can grow in poor soil, and is happiest on waste ground, roadsides, and open fields.
Mullein is biennial and grows in 2 stages; in its first year it forms a rosette, with soft, furry, thick leaves with a whitish tone. In its second year, one solitary stem grows through the middle, and small yellow flowers start to form, with what I thought looked like tiny yellow balls! (which you can almost see in the picture above).

You harvest this plant in its second year, before it flowers if you want to use the leaves. This is when it is at its most potent medicinally and energetically - once it has flowered, the plant's energies have been utilised and it goes to seed.
All you do it cut that long candle stem as far down as you can, and remove the leaves
However we have let a couple go to flower so we can collect seed to propogate next year.

Medicinal actions: Expectorant, demulcent, anticatarrhal

Medicinal uses: Mullein is primarily used for anything respiratory; and can be used topically as a poultice for mumps, inflammed/swollen lymph nodes and hemorrhoids. The flowers are a known remedy for ear aches and infections when infused in olive oil.

• Bronchitis
• Asthma
• Whooping cough
• Tuberculosis
• Tracheitis
• Cold & flu
• Tonsillitis
• Also gastrointestinal conditions such as ulceration, and inflammation that require cooling and soothing - due to its demulcent actions

how to make mullein ear drops:

• Pick mullein flowers, and leave to wilt overnight to reduce moisture content
  
• Olive oil has always been traditionally used. It has its own antibacterial and antifungal properties, and can by itself break up accumulated wax.
  
• Use a small sterilised* jar, (the flowers are so small it would take hundreds to fill a big one!); with a screw top - you want no gap at the top which would allow oxygen in and cause mould, a kilner jar is no good as there is too much space at top.
  
• Buy some muslin cloth if possible - it helps to keep any bacteria away from the oil
  

Method:

• Fill jar with wilted flowers
  
• Add olive oil to the very very top - so it almost overflows
  
• Stir gently and push flowers down to get rid of as many air bubbles and pockets as you can
  
• Add more olive oil if it has sunk down
  
• Stretch a piece of muslin cloth over the mouth of the jar and screw lid tightly
  
• Leave in a warm dark place (water tank cupboard) for 4-6 weeks
  
• Strain into another sterlised bottle/jar and label
  
• This should last around 6 months - as oil can go rancid, keep checking after this by giving it a sniff. If off, it'll smell almost earthy and sour. It's hard to describe, but will just smell bad!
  

Application: If you are able to get a dropper then use 3 drops in each ear and plug with cotton wool. Alternatively soak cotton wool and place into ear - adding a hot water bottle wrapped in a towel if infection is painful.

* To sterilise jar: Wash in hot soapy water and rinse. Place onto a baking sheet and into oven at 140C/120C fan, gas mark 1 until completely dry.

The different growth stages of mullein. Note the beautiful marshmallow (right), and Lady's mantle (left) in the background