Mullein
(Originally published in The Red Rock Rag, Volume 10, Number 1, Winter, 2009)
While much of last summer's plant growth lies scattered on the ground, the dried brown stalks of mullein stand proud and erect, up to six feet tall. These stalks are the second year's growth for the mullein plant. The first year mullein grows as a rosette of large, fuzzy leaves. The second year, a single, tall, stout stalk grows and bears one or more long flower spikes with many small yellow flowers. After mullein goes to seed, its two year life cycle is normally complete.
Mullein is a native of Asia and reached North America by way of Europe. In Asia and Europe magical powers have sometimes been ascribed to mullein. In India it was once considered a safeguard against evil spirits and magic. In the Greek classics, Ulysses took mullein to protect himself against the wiles of Circe.
Torches were at one time made from mullein dipped in tallow.
More commonly, mullein has been used in herbal medicine for treating both people and cattle. Among its uses, herbalists have described using mullein flowers or leaves to treat diarrhea, earache, mucus membrane inflammation, and sore throat. Mullein root has been used as a diuretic. Chopped mullein leaves have been smoked for centuries as a mild sedative and to treat chest infections and asthma.
Some American Indians have adopted mullein as one of the herbs which they include in the mixture which is smoked ceremonially.
Mullein is widely distributed in Red Rock Canyon Open Space. In a few places it grows in dense stands crowding out other vegetation. Its invasive character has earned mullein (Verbascun thapsus) a place on Colorado's list of noxious weeds. One good way to control unwanted mullein is to pull the plants early in their second season soon after the stalks have started to grow. Attempting to pull mullein before stalks develop is unproductive because the leaves break off leaving the roots undamaged, while pulling plants with fully grown stalks becomes a challenging test of strength.
Don Ellis