Mullein

Mullein

Mullein is a plant found in most places.  Many people consider it a weed and mow it down instead of collecting the very useful leaves.  Since it is a biennial, it grows the rosette of leaves the first year, then the second it grows the tall stalk with several yellow flowers on the top....then at the end of the second year, it dies. Through the winter of the first year you can dig around in the snow and still find healthy fresh Mullein leaves for medicine.
 It does look a lot like lambs ear, however, its growth of the leaves are up to a foot long.  The leaves are blueish-green and very fuzzy.

Mullein is not indigenous.  It was brought over from Europe and any bug introduced from Europe are about the only things that will eat it.  You can find it in locations where the area gets full sun- and it helps if the soil has recently been disturbed.

Medicinal uses:

Topical-  

• wounds
• burns
• hemorrhoids
• skin infections- coupled with Comfrey- this is truly amazing for blisters and corns
• some research supports the chemicals found in Mullein help treat herpes and influenza

Internal treatment-

• Ear aches (saturated carrier oil)
• Gastrointestinal bleeding, diarrhea 
• Asthma, allergies
• Cold, migraines, sore throat
• TB, tonsillitis, bronchitis
• Whooping cough, pneumonia (combined with plantain works best for me)
• Chills, flu, fever, joint pain, gout
• Cramps, frame-shaking-sick
• High stress- especially when coupled with Motherwort

While I use this plant with home medicating, I tend to use it at night. The whole plant contains slightly sedative and narcotic properties.  It affects everyone individually- some react far more intense than others.

After being dried- the best way to use the leaves for relieving chest congestion and cough....is to actually smoke it.  I know, I know- sounds backwards- but it truly is a good way to relieve asthma and spasmodic coughs by acting as an expectorant and loosening phlegm from the walls of your lungs.  Other than that, use it in a tea.

The stalk containing the yellow flowers blooms here and there. Never all at once.  I collect the fresh flowers from several stalks, allow for the water content to drop by leaving them out for a few hours, fill a small jar with them- add olive oil, seal the container and place in the sun for a month or 2.   Filter out the flowers and keep bottled. This becomes a very powerful bactericide.  I keep this in the fridge along with my daughters garlic ear drops- The drops are useful for our animal ear mites as well as infected piercings.

Using the root allows for strengthening of the trigone sphincter at the base of the bladder so that incontinence can be relieved.  

I can't recall where I researched this- and I will post a link if I can think of it- but there is proof that this will help with spinal injuries...even in those who are deemed to be untreatable.  Using the leaves or root (first year growth) treats the synovial membranes making for a moistening and lubricating effect allowing for your spine and your joints to be able to align properly again.  Pain and inflammation reduced!

**note: A lot of this is used on its own but I strengthen the manifestation by combining Mullein with things like Horsetail, plantain, St johns Wort, Black Cohosh, Arnica, Motherwort etc.

***I am not a doctor, but I play one at home by following those who have been living off of the land for thousands of years before me with success.  Speak to your doctor before beginning an herbal treatment.  There are some herbs and medications that don't play well together.