Mullein; a Versatile Healer

Blog Party!! This month's party is hosted by Darcey Blue over at http://desertmedicinewoman.blogspot.com Check out her blog for links to all participating blogs. Enjoy!

I was driving up my road the other day and spotted the largest stand of Mullein I’ve ever seen, along the previously Roundup’d banks of a neighbor’s home. “This guy has some problems” I thought to myself, as I am a believer that what we need most grows profusely around us. This home was literally surrounded by Mullein, most of it second year and made even more spectacular by the multitude of yellow-flowered stalks rising from the poisoned ground. The vision of that bank stayed with me and prompted me to research and write this.

Not native to North America, the seed of the plant were likely brought over on early settlers’ footwear or ships’ ballast, much as Plantain was. Mullein, or Verbascum thapsus, is a biennial herb, with a rosette of leaves the first year, and shooting up a tall stalk with flowers the second. It is easily recognized by the large fuzzy leaves and the tall stalk with yellow flowers. Growing almost everywhere, Mullein prefers the sun and poor soils where the land has been abused, so it is frequently seen along roadsides and semi-bare construction areas. Other names for it are Wooly Mullein, Flannel Plant, Candle Wick, and Quaker Rouge.

Mullein has been used to treat a multitude of ailments, and the history is well documented; One well known use is for lung issues, namely colds, coughs, asthma, bronchitis, tuberculosis and Flu. Some evidence exists that the seeds were once used as a fish poison; crushing them and scattering them in water created a layer of saponins on the surface, which caused the fish to rise to the surface to be easily caught. Quaker women liked to rub the fuzzy leaves on their cheeks to impart a nice glow when being courted. The stalk, dried, can be dipped in tallow or wax and used as a torch. The leaves can even be used as emergency toilet paper, but use caution, as some folks itch terribly when the leaf comes into direct contact with skin. Hikers and folks caught out in cold weather can use the leaves to line socks and shoes for added insulation against cold.

Modern day scientists have proven its effectiveness against colds and Flu, Staph a, Staph e, and E coli, and have identified components that act directly against the viruses Herpes simplex and Influenza.

All parts of the plant have uses in medicine, except the seed, which should not be used. The root can be dug from either a first year or second year plant before it shoots up a stalk. One can make tea or tincture. It is effective for back pain and bone breaks, causing the muscles and tendons to realign the spine or breaks. It also tightens the trigone muscle at the base of the bladder to help remedy incontinence. Try it along with Kegel exercises for stress incontinence. Some Herbalists have reported it effective against Bell’s Palsy when combined with St John’s Wort.

The fuzzy leaves can be harvested at any time and used. The plant is even green over the winter here in the Appalachians. Use the leaves to poultice broken bones, make tea, tincture, or syrup (Always strain Mullein products through a coffee filter before use, as the tiny hairs can be quite irritating to the throat!) and take for colds, Flu, bronchitis, and asthma. To make a tea select about one cup of leaves with no mold spots, either dried or fresh, and simmer in a quart of water for thirty minutes, strain carefully through a coffee filter, sweeten with honey, and serve warm. A syrup can be prepared by simmering for thirty minutes and decocting until reduced by two thirds volume, then add two parts honey, glycerin, or even molasses. For a tincture I use fresh leaves, 1:1 in 100 proof alcohol. A salve can be prepared from Mullein oil, either from leaves or flowers, and used for skin infections and minor wounds, burns, herpes lesions, and bruises.

Mullein is expectorant, demulcent, and antispasmodic, so really helps with chronic cough. Some Herbalists use the leaves for back issues as well. The leaves have been smoked to relieve lung ailments, ease asthma, and quiet coughs, and it has some sedative properties that can promote sleep, making it valuable in treatment of endless coughing fits that drain the energy and keep one from rest. Use care in drying the leaves, as the thick center vein dries slowly and many a batch of dried herb has been ruined due to the still moist veins molding. I like to separate the center vein before drying, making it easier to rub the leaves to a fluffy consistency for smoking.

The flowers make the very best ear oil ever. Pick flowers from several stalks as they open, preferably in the morning after dew has dried. Drop them into a small jar and fill with olive oil. Let sit in a cool dark place for two to six weeks, strain and use. Children who are prone to earaches due to wax buildup especially benefit. Place a few drops in a child’s ear and watch as the pain goes away almost instantly. Leave the ears unplugged and allow the oil and wax to drain naturally overnight. Adding a second pillowcase or soft towel to the pillow is useful here. For infections and swimmer’s ear, try crushing a clove of garlic and adding that to your oil. It is my treatment of choice for ear mites and ear infections in my dogs too.

Watchouts and contraindications;
NEVER use the oil in ears that may have a perforated ear drum or in childrens’ ears with tubes!!!

Do not use Mullein flower oil and garlic combo on cats. Use the flower oil only and sparingly.

Avoid using Mullein if taking the drug Lithium, as it can intensify the effects.

Avoid using Mullein with muscle relaxing drugs for the same reason.
Some evidence exists that mullein is diuretic (although I have not found it to be so) and use should be avoided if taking prescription diuretics.

First Egg!!

I got my first egg today! Wooo hooo! OK, stop laughing, this is a milestone for me, so let me revel.

The chickens are settling in well. Both mini-chicken houses were used last night, all the food was gone, and the whole flock met me at the gate this morning clamoring for food. Rocky had competition eating from the bowl I held.

Rocky looks different, acts different. He's standing much taller, almost completely erect, and strolls around like a lord among his ladies. I've noticed he stands around a lot watching them scratch and eat, like he's protecting them, as he gives a soft alarm call they all heed when one of the dogs gets nosey.

I kept hearing a chicken squawking earlier and ran out to see what was wrong. One hen (they don't have names yet) was standing outside the newest chicken house just squalling at the top of her lungs. She ran to me when I came in and I swear it was just like a kid coming to complain to mama. I understood immediately. (Yeah, that's weird, but apparently I speak chicken as well as I speak dog) Another hen was in that house, all settled down in one of the nesting boxes, and THIS hen was upset because SHE wanted that box! Too funny. I picked her up and talked to her and the other hen came back out. I set hen number one down and she immediately ran into the house and took over the box.

Those two hens are both claiming the house, although hen number two doesn't make a clatter when hen number one is in there. I just checked and number two was in there, with an egg. So I took it and she refused to leave the house, so she may be going broody, and the other one may be too, or they're just establishing territories and ranking order.

This promises to be a fun and interesting project, with the added bonuses of food and compost for my gardens. Neighbors were already asking me at breakfast this morning what I'll be selling eggs for! Cool!

That's all for now, I'm going to go eat my egg.

New Chickens!!!

I finally found some good chickens to buy, hens already laying. I've been watching Craigslist daily, hoping someone would find they just have too many hens. Sure enough, I saw an add today for Golden Comets, being sold to downsize the flock. I made a quick call and off I went to a small farm south of me. I found a nice place, with chickens, a couple of donkeys, a mule, an assortment of sweet dogs and a gorgeous tabby cat.

Everyone seemed very happy there, and if I had to describe the place in a single word it would be "harmonious". The chickens were pretty tame, and I stayed for a few minutes getting pointers on introducing them to Rocky and what feed they used. I was happy to see the health of these birds and the love they were shown by their owners, just the kind of birds I wanted!

I stopped off at the store on the way home to grab oyster shell and a fresh bag of layer mix to tide me over till I can mix my own. I added a second chicken house to Rocky's pen and scattered fresh food and some greens from the garden, then brought the girls in and turned them loose. Rocky went into rooster mode immediately and chased a couple of them a little before seeming to realize they are all hens, then he settled down to scratch with them and occasionally act studly. All in all he's a pretty well mannered guy, so things calmed down nicely and when I left they were flocking together. Soon I hope to have fresh eggs, so I can finally give some to my brother who has been picking on me for the past year about my "success" as a chicken farmer!

Spring Awakenings

It's almost spring here on Grassy Mountain. This is a time of transition, with weather extremes; one week we celebrate almost record temperatures and can wander around in shirtsleeves, and the next we have ice and snow everywhere!

As I write this we are on day four of a cold rain, but it is most welcomed, as it will help my gardens get off to a good start and will jump start the greening of the mountain.


I've spent the last two weeks alternately hunkered down with the dogs by the wood stove and getting out to hike here and with friends.

I've managed to get all of my gardens ready, cardboarding the disaster of the culinary herb garden, trying to kill the Comfrey there that some fool (read Sam) transplanted last year to a new spot. Of course the Comfrey roots left in the culinary garden thrived after being cut, and I had plants everywhere. Cardboarding and heavily mulching will get rid of them, but unfortunately will also kill my Oregano.

Not to worry though, as I'll be attending the annual Asheville Herb Festival in early May and will replenish my gardens with new young plants. If you're local to this area you should check them out. It's a great source for locally grown herbs and garden plants and seeds, and features many other herbal and hand made products. It's always good to support local growers and businesses, and I enjoy the chance to keep my money local.

This year I will be trying something new for the vegetable garden, as I have such limited space and want to grow more yummy stuff. I'm going to train all my summer squash and zucchini plants up a trellis, and my tomatoes will be moved to upside down buckets hanging from the barn. That way I'll have more room for the other plants. My Jerusalem Artichokes should fare well, as I didn't do a complete harvest last fall. I left a lot of the tubers untouched, so the bed will spread. The 'chokes will become my potato substitute.

I'm also trying something new in my community, and will be holding a FREE "Ask the Herbalist Day" on Tuesdays at the local Switzerland Cafe. This is a great little cafe and General Store run by friends Ann and Lora. If you're in the area please check them out. They have the freshest salads and the best quiche anywhere.

Anyway, back to the subject at hand. Every Tuesday at 2 PM I'll be setting up at a table outside and holding court with anyone who comes along. I'll be available for all herb related questions. Folks can bring samples or photos of weeds in their yards for help with identification and a brief talk about the best uses for the plant. General questions about health will be entertained and discussed, and I'll have my herb books, press book, weed of the month handouts, and may even have a plant of the week present for discussion. It's a way I can provide service to my community, and hopefully make new contacts and friends who will then go on to attend a class or herb walk.

Chickens. Well, I have to admit, I stink as a chicken farmer! As I last reported, I ended up with what I thought was two roosters and one hen. But that hen just never would lay any eggs. I checked every day for my first "free range egg" to no avail. Then one day I noticed "her" comb was growing, and "she" was growing some suspicious looking tail feathers to boot. My hen I'd watched so closely was none other than a crossdressing rooster! Great. No eggs. After a time the three began to fight, and my favorite one, the white one I named Rocky was getting the worst of it. I finally butchered the two mean red ones and now have this one pretty white rooster that comes when I call and stands to be petted. But no eggs.

I'll remedy that in April with the addition of several hens purchased from a local hatchery who keeps pullets till they are about ready to begin to lay. No more biddies for me!

I've spent the last few days updating my website, so please do check it out when you get a chance.

And that's all for now folks!

Bringing in the Harvest

Blog Party! Check out other posts on harvesting at Gais's Garden; http://desertmedicinewoman.blogspot.com/

I set out this afternoon armed with my large basket, camera, and the usual assortment of dogs. I head down the graveled road in search of things to pick, dig, and carry home in my basket and my memories. The dogs are excited about our daily walk, never growing tired of it, always spying or scenting something new to chase, eat, or roll in.

I take a picture of one of the many Poke plants in the yard. The berries hang like bunches of purple black grapes, and I cut several bunches to hang and dry in my sunroom. They make great little pills that way, and I take one every time I feel the slightest hint of a cold or other virus. With her as my ally I am rarely sick. I indulge myself in a little childish face painting while I’m at it.

My garden is almost dead now, a few tomato plants with no more tomatoes, dying squash vines, and some spent pepper plants. But crowning the upper end are my Jerusalem Artichokes, “Sunchokes” that I planted for the first time this past spring. The bright yellow flowers top the towering stalks and I know I will have a nice crop of inulin filled tubers just after first frost.



I pause to cut a bunch of goldenrod flowers. This sweet herb has recently teamed with others to help me pass a very large kidney stone. I stroke her leaves and whisper my gratitude as I gather more to dry for winter teas. Delicate white flowers of Queen Anne’s Lace join the Goldenrod. She too has helped me with the stones, and I gather flowers in all stages from full bloom to dried birds’ nests with mature seeds.

I pause as always at the place of the Fairy wands, and am excited to see several tall stalks sporting not yet ripe seeds. I will gather a few of them to share with friends in another few weeks. For now I enjoy my picture taking and the energy of this special place.

I hear a sudden explosion of wings and look up in time to see all three dogs flush a small flock of turkeys we have surprised. They take wing and head up to a higher spot on the ridge while the dogs, ever futile but always game give chase. Bella yips her hunting call while Bear runs at breakneck speed up the steep slope. They will no doubt join me on the path as it climbs later.



I find a large Lobelia inflata plant right at the crest of the trail and stop to speak. I don’t need to harvest any this year, as I have plenty on hand, but I pay my respects just the same. I’ve only used her for my friend’s migraines, and mild asthma a client has had since childhood, but have made a mental note to use a large dose on myself if the pain from my remaining kidney stone becomes unbearable. A powerful plant, she commands respect, as she will hurt you if used unwisely.



I am joined by the dogs, panting and hot now as they greet me on the upper trail. The turkeys are nowhere to be seen. I step over a few of the outer husks of hickory nuts and know that the squirrels are doing their harvesting now too. The scarlet leaves of a maple contrast with the still deep greens and the few yellows of early fall. Bear pauses to rest a moment and I get a rare shot of him. And when I reach the place where I make my daily prayers Bella allows me a quick shot of her too. Rusty, getting slower as his eyes continue to fail is almost always under my feet.



I walk on and spot bright red berries, Solomon’s Plume, and more berries that turn out to be Spice Bush. I pick a single berry and chew it slowly, enjoying the burst of spicy flavor in my mouth as I continue on the trail. I find a single pink-purple turtlehead blossom near several varieties of morning glory. I have loved this plant since I was a child and I have future plans to encourage them to grow up a home- made trellis.

I see Solomon’s Seal as well and pause to thank her for the help she has given me with my friend T’s shoulder problems. I don’t need to dig a root this year as the one I got last year was huge and will last me through this winter easily.

As I walk back down toward the house I think about harvesting Joe Pye roots, and decide to wait a bit longer, digging them when I dig the roots of Black Cohosh, Goldenrod, Queen Anne’s Lace, Dandelion, and Poke, all of which are better after first frost.



Heading to the pond I gather a few Buckeyes to make salve and tincture for my friend’s varicose veins. I drop them into the basket and go back to the yard to finish filling it with chestnuts from my two large trees. I toss a few cracked ones to the chickens and laugh as Bear harvests a few for himself and chews them, spitting the shells. I cut sage, oregano, rosemary, and thyme from my small culinary garden and begin filling a second basket. I add cuttings from Mugwort, Tansy, and Wormwood to them and a bunch of Comfrey leaves.



Back in the house I empty the basket, tying herbs in small bunches and hanging them to dry for teas and winter dishes. I chop some of the Goldenrod and Queen Anne’s Lace for tinctures and crack and chop the Buckeyes for tincture and oil. The chestnuts go into the refrigerator to be roasted later. They will make a sweet addition to some home- made bread and the stuffing for my Thanksgiving turkey.

The next few weeks will be much like today. I will harvest a few plants at a time, and smells of oils, drying herbs, berry syrups, and teas will fill my home.

Update on the home front

I can't believe it's been six weeks since I blogged! Time flies this summer, and my computer time has become limited as my outdoor activities increase, but life is good. I have no complaints. Lets see, where to begin? The orchard first, since so many have asked.

I left the orchard the day of my first scheduled Herb Walk for the season. When I arrived at my scheduled time, the orchard was being sprayed. Great I thought, perfect timing. I was told to go ahead with my walk, and that I would be in no danger. All my instincts disagreed, and when I stepped outside into a cloud of drifting toxic mist the orchard keeper reminded me of the dangers of the chemicals used, and not to go into the orchard at all. So I went back inside and cancelled my walk, disgusted and apprehensive that this was likely the first of many times I'd face this during the season.

I had a lot of thinking to do, and some research. So when I arrived home I emailed and asked for the names of the chemicals used. I then researched the MSDS on all four chemicals and quickly determined that I did not belong there at the orchard. I have been anti-chemical for years, choosing not to use toxic chemicals in my home to control bugs or other pests. I don't even vaccinate my dogs. My friend Linda calls me the "chemical Nazi". I cringed as I read warning after warning, and saw documentation of the effects these chemicals had on humans and other animals and wildlife, water quality, and long term pollution of land. All this went totally against my conservation minded brain. So I cancelled all my appearances for the season.

I was able to find another place fairly quickly however, so will be doing my walks at the local Inn property, as well as conducting my herb classes at the local meeting house. Cool! One door closes....

Dogs; All the dogs are fine. The Bear puppy has doubled in size and remains a joy to be around. He's attended a couple of cookouts with me and we enjoy lunch one day a week at the local pet-friendly Cafe. Sadly he killed one of my chickens that had gotten out, and fetched it to the sunroom to feast on, where I took it away from him. So, I guess he'll be more of a pet and companion than a livestock protection dog! Bella is his favorite playmate, Rusty tolerates him, Mintaka likes him, and Diva still wants to kill him, so things are going well in that department.

Chickens; Well, things are not so good in the chicken department. After I moved them all to their larger area I had two more escape and get killed by the ever watchful Akitas. I'm down to three now, one of the White Rocks and two of the New Hampshires. And to make matters worse, two of them are roosters, and are learning to crow. So now I'll have to eat one of them, and get more chickens. And still they are not old enough to lay eggs. Bummer.

Other; I found a great email list that discusses Sally Fallon's "Nourishing Traditions" book, called "discussingnt@yahoogroups.com. I'd purchased the book when I was in herb school and tried several of the recipes, dabbled in kombucha, got good at whole grain sourdough bread, and loved making yogurt and kefir, which have become regular staples in my diet. But I slipped gradually, going back to storebought (tho still organic) yogurt and kefir, and abandoning my last kombucha scobi on my counter. I stopped making bread when the weather warmed. This non-air conditioned house gets so very warm with the oven on and I found too that my body actually does better on a semi-grain-free diet then even the whole and fermented grains, so I'll leave that for now.

But that email list has gotten me recharged and wanting to get back into fermentation projects, so I started last week. I made yogurt and kefir, using them in my morning smoothies, and today I started a batch of beet kvass. I had a couple of organic beets that I peeled and chopped, and I have a couple of cups of kefir on the counter now straining the whey from it to add to the beet jar. I'll also end up with a bit of soft cheese from the strained kefir. I love beets, and hope that my body will love the kvass more. I'll crank up the kettle in a bit to make a batch of kombucha too, maybe my shroom is still alive.

My garden is doing well. I lost my winter squash plants as seedlings for some reason, but the peppers, tomatoes, summer squash and Jerusalem Artichokes are all doing well. I'm eating squash almost daily now. The herb gardens are fine too, except for my Skullcap. My Mugwort and Wormwood have grown so tall they completely shaded out my Skullcap and those plants are tiny and likely won't produce. I'll have to relocate my artemesias and let them have more room to expand, and replace them with smaller herbs that will get along better with my Skullcap.

My Comfrey is doing TOO well. Silly me decided to transplant it from one garden to another last fall. Every teeny tiny root I cut as I dug it up turned into a thriving huge comfrey plant that shoved out my Oregano, Thyme, Basil and even a Rosemary bush. So I figure I'll have to cardboard it this fall and hope it doesn't come back in that spot. The ones I transplanted did well and like their new spot, so I just have to get rid of the extra. My compost pile is loving the extra green stuff I feed it weekly, chopping down the growth and adding it to the pile.

With the almost normal rain fall this year the mountain is green and happy. The herbs flourish, and all around me I see blooms of Black Cohosh, Solomon's Seal and Plume, Elder, Queen Anne's Lace, and many many more. This fall I expect a good harvest of many herbs I've been supporting for years by planting extra seeds, moving plants threatened by development, and just talking to them. It's nice to see that I've had a positive impact on many of the rare and endangered herbs, as their population has doubled and even tripled where I added my own bit of help.

Gotta run now.....kvass calls.

Whippoorwill sighting!

I had a rare treat this morning. It was just before dawn, around 5:30am. I was outside with the new Bear puppy waiting for him to potty in the front yard. I always go out with him and the weenies when it's darkish, in case there's a stray bear or coyote lurking about hoping for a tasty treat. This morning I was enjoying a cup of tea while I waited, and listening to the Whippoorwill calling from somewhere in the back yard. I love his song, and am fortunate that he and his mate return each year to nest nearby. He got quiet, and I knew he was moving to another spot to take up his song again.

To my complete surprise he flew right across the path in front of me and landed on a log not ten feet away. In the light from the porch I could make out every detail of this elusive bird, even the white stripe around his throat glowed. I stood very still so he wouldn't get spooked. He knew I was there, and Bear was only fifteen feet or so away. For some reason he didn't pounce. He too froze like me, seeming to know what a special moment the three of us shared. Whippoorwill stayed where he was for maybe thirty seconds, then flew up and away to land in an unseen tree along the drive and once again take up his sweet song.

What a blessing, and a reminder of how close to this land I have grown in my twelve years here. I will carry that memory in my heart and enjoy his daily song even more.