Helpful Herbs & Plants With a Purpose - MULLEIN

in #nature8 years ago

INTRODUCTION

With all of the interest in my gardening, plant propagating, foraging, and cooking posts, I figured that I would branch out a little more. Helpful Herbs & Plants With a Purpose is not meant to be dietary, medical, or nutritional advise. Each person is different and can react different ways to different plants. They always say to consult your physician first, so I'll say the same. This series is simply provided as a brief glimpse into interesting plants to spark your interest and begin your own exploration, research, and discovery.


HISTORY

Historically, many people have used the plants all around them for millennia. Not only did they provide a good food source or a helpful source of raw materials for making and crafting various goods, they were also used medicinally to treat a number of ailments. Some of the treatments and cures may have simply been superstitious or a placebos, but perhaps there are real medicinal uses for many of the plants all around us. Though up to date scientific research is not always available, that alone may not negate the health benefits many plants supposedly possess. In this world of pros and cons, often, there may be side effects as well, so be cautious.


IDENTIFICATION

Mullein is a pretty simply wild plant to accurately identify. The fuzzy light green leaves sprout outward from a central base. Eventually, a tall stem will protrude from the center and reach several feet up into the sky. The top then becomes covered in little yellow flowers, which eventually produces tiny little seeds.

Mullein is a biennial plant that lasts two years. The first year it seems to establish its roots and form the low growing leaf cluster. The second year it shoots up the tall stalk and produces first flowers, and then seeds. The common garden Carrot is another biennial plant will produce seed the second year. If you want carrot seeds of your own, don't pull up and eat all of them this year. Next year, if the winter hasn't killed the root off, it will go to seed and look similar to Dill in the process.


USES

The uses for this common plant vary. One traditional use, though it is not as common these days, was to use the leaves for toilet paper. Yes, when people got caught in the wilderness without other options, Mullein was both readily available and an appropriate option to get the job done.

Another interesting use is one that we got exposed to in 2014 after my wife delivered our fourth child in our living room. It was a midwife assisted home water birth, not just something that happened. Anyway, in the process of breastfeeding, sometimes a woman can get some clogged milk ducts. If left untreated, it can cause mastitis, which can turn into a bad infection. One medical option to treat this ailment is antibiotics. When we mentioned the clogged ducts to one of our midwives, she mentioned Mullein as an option. She even gave us some leaves. We crushed the dried leaves and filled a far with them. Then, we poured hot water over the leaves and covered the jar. I can't remember if we left it steep for a half hour or an hour, but I do remember that it it worked. Apparently, Mullein Tea is a good decongestant because the leaves are a natural expectorant. They also act as a diuretic and a sedative.

Mullein Leaf Tea, or a blended tea containing Mullein leaves, was once a common winter remedy to help with cold and flu season. In some circles, it is regaining popularity these days, and personally, we are fans. The flowers and roots have also been used to treat ear aches.


HABITAT

Most likely, you've already seen Mullein growing somewhere nearby, depending on your geographical location. It is common along roadsides and in open fields. Any tiny crack in the sidewalk is enough room for the tiny seeds, so it has become a common weed in many areas as well. Waste areas are another common place to find Mullein. Some of these were photographed in a spillway, where the rains deposited the tiny seeds.



proof-of-mullein

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Crazy, I see this all the time and thought it was pretty, now it has a name. I had no idea that as a tea it could be so healing. Great info, following!

Excellent, glad to be used to provide some information.

so many helpful herbs and plants around us
but most people do not realize it

good info @papa-pepper

Thanks, been encouraging people too in WILD EDIBLES.

I am going to have to set up a separate folder for your posts that I save to reread. So much good information.

WOW. Thanks for the compliment. Try to store as much as you can in your head too, it may come in handy.

Love this plant also.
Appreciate your content!!

Great article! I'm slowly learning about some of the medicinal plants in my area. It feels good to know about the nature around us.

I think we need to make a whole bunch of those

One unsung hero of plants is PURSLANE. It is considered a weed by most Americans. But it is found on every continent, has the highest omega-3's known to man in plant form, and has a myriad of healing properties. Every part is edible - from seed to flowers. And it's delicious!

It may be unsung some places, but I've already enjoyed singing it.
Check the post HERE

Nice article papa. Nature is too clever not to leave any disease untreated. I strongly believe that there is a solution for every problem the body faces. It is only a matter of time before the right herbs or mix of herbs when discovered, will be able to take out cancer, HIV, and the likes.
Some herbs are quite wild and when taken can cause serious injury to the body, but there is an old way of testing whether or not a plant or herb is injurious to the body. Just get a herbivorous animal like a goat, sheep and the rest to have a bite. If they run away from it, it most probably will be poisonous to the human body. If they don't run away but eat it, then the probability that it will be safe for us humans is high. I know, it doesn't sound scientific, but it works.

I've also used mullein in herbal smoking blends! great article :)

Thanks for sharing great & valuable information @papa-pepper! We've had success with the healing properties of mullein too. We find it extremely beneficial for the respiratory system taken as a tea or in a dried herbal smoking blend with herbs or organic tobacco. Sharing your knowledge is extremely important in this day and age--it's keeping traditional healing alive! Keep up the great work!

Yeah, I noticed the same trend in your posts. Let's use the plants as a first resort, not a last.

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