Common Mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Mullein grows wild in many places along roads, in fields, and on open hillsides. The mullein plant is biennial. The first year, it creates a rosette of large, fuzzy leaves. The leaves are thick, felt like, and shaped and sized like a salad bowl. The second year, a stalk shoots up from the ground. Little groups of yellow flowers grow at intervals along the stalk, and they bloom all through the summer.

For generations, mullein has been used to help support the lungs. Mullein leaves can be dried and steeped into tea that people say can soothe coughs and loosen up the lungs to breathe more easily. It’s also been used for bronchitis, asthma, and sore throats [1][2]. The flowers can be soaked in oil as a traditional treatment for earaches and mild infections [3]. The plant was once useful to people in their everyday lives, because of its softness. Leaves were used to line shoes, stuff into bedding for padding, and even throw on fires to warm the winter air a little.

Research today has found that mullein’s soothing abilities come from saponins and mucilage, which can help loosen phlegm and coat irritated tissue [4]. Mullein is still a highly trusted herbal remedy, and very easy to prepare.

The plant’s height and fuzzy leaves give mullein a familiar, yet striking appearance. It grows wild, helps us breathe easier, and reminds us how simple a plant can be and how steady its care.

[1] U.S. Department of Agriculture, PLANTS Database. “Verbascum thapsus L. – Common Mullein.” 2025. https://plants.usda.gov/plant-profile/VETH

[2] U.S. Forest Service. “Verbascum thapsus L..” Fire Effects Information System. n.d. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/vertha/all.html

[3] Dar, M. A., M. F. Bhat, R. Hassan, M. H. Masoodi, S. R. Mir, and R. Mohiuddin. “Extensive Phytochemistry, Comprehensive Traditional Uses, and Critical Pharmacological Profile of the Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus L.).” The Natural Products Journal 9, no. 3 (2019): 158–171. https://doi.org/10.2174/2210315508666180821153531

[4] Blanco-Salas, J., et al. “Searching for Scientific Explanations for the Uses of Spanish Folk Medicine: A Review on the Case of Mullein (Verbascum).” Biology 10, no. 7 (2021): 618. https://doi.org/10.3390/biology10070618