Beth’s Natural Way – Mullein

Truxton, NY
Phone/Fax: 607-842-6863
E-mail: bethsnaturalway@yahoo.com

Mullein is a biennial so this means the leaves are the best in the first year growth.

FOLK NAMES: Great mullein, Aaron’s rod, candlewick plant, graveyard dust, flannel plant, torches.

LATIN NAME: Verbascum thapsus.

ELEMENT: Fire.

POWERS: Courage, protection, health, love divination, exorcism.
MEDICINAL PARTS: Leaves and flower.

CONSTITUTES: Leaves are high in iron, B-2, B-5, B-12, Vitamin D, choline, PABA, sulfur, calcium, chromium, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, silica, sodium, potassium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C and Vitamin F. Mucilage, triterpene saponins, iridoide monoterpenes, caffeic acid derivatives, flavonoids, invert sugar, tannins.

PROPERTIES: Leaves: Expectorant, diuretic, cooling, mucilage, demulcent, lubricating, tonic, analgesic antiseptic. Flowers: antiseptic.

MAGICAL USES: Wear mullein while picking herbs in the wild to keep wild animals from coming near. Place a few leaves in your shoe to keep from catching a cold. Having a stuffed pillow or the leaves under a pillow will keep away nightmares. Carry mullein for love from the opposite sex. In India, mullein is hung in the doorways for protection. Graveyard dust can be substituted with powdered mullein leaves for spells.

INTERNAL USES: Coughs, whooping cough, bronchitis, laryngitis, tonsillitis, asthma, influenza, excess respiratory mucus, tuberculosis, urinary tract infections, nervous tension, insomnia, swollen lymph nodes.

EXTERNAL USES: Leaves are smoked to help ease mucus, bronchitis and pain in the chest.

Leaves are chopped up and put on hemorrhoids, swollen glands, swollen lymph nodes. Flower oil is for pain, swimmers ear and infection in the ears. The oil also dissolves swelling on the skin and for any pain.
HARVEST: Pick the leaves in the early spring until the snow flies. The flowers are picked in full sunlight.

USE AS: The crushed flowers are put into oil and shaken for two weeks, strain and store in darkened bottles. Oils, teas, extracts, poultice, smoke.

PRECAUTIONS: The hairs can be an irritant so when making a tea, use a muslin cloth to strain.

Vibrantly,
Beth Hill of Beth’s Natural Way!

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