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Mullein (common)
Figwort Family : Scrophulariaceae
Latin Name : Verbascum thapsus
Longevity : Annual
Season : Warm
Origin : Introduced
Value : Wildlife – poor
Livestock -poor
Remarks :
Also known as, "Flannel mullein", "Great mullein", and
"Poor man's tobacco". Flowers June to September. The
plant leaves are covered with felt-like gray hairs that
break the force of the wind thus lessening water loss
through evaporation. This plant has many historical uses.
In the past, the flowers were boiled to make hair dye, and
the leaves were placed in moccasins as insulation against
the cold. Tea was brewed from the leaves for colds, and
its vapors were inhaled for throat irritation. The early
settlers would soak the leaves in hot vinegar and water to
form a poultice that was applied to external irritations and
wounds. In Mexico the leaves were smoked for asthma.
And of course, there has been many a cowboy that did not
have the luxury of toilet paper on the prairie that had to
make due with the large, soft, felt-like leaves!
Source: USDA-NRCS
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