- Jim MacDonald, Herbalist says, “The best way I know to get Mullein to grow where you live is to burn a brush pile and come back in a year.”

Yes, Mullein is called a pioneer plant for this very reason. It has ease and a tenacious ability to begin to grow in disturbed, traumatized land as a regenerative force for starting the settling of healing energies while steadily moving forward into the healing process.

This is Mullein’s super power. It reorganizes limited resources for regeneration.

Even in our bodies as we sip leaf infusions for the lungs that are flooded with deadly fluid devastation, the gut that is devastated by a regular lousy diet of stress or poor quality food, or we drip Mullein flower oil into inflamed, infected ears as we consider what is not being heard.

Mullein blankets the land where fire has cleared forests. In this, it appears as though the plant is invading the land, but after a year or two, new plant species emerge and diversity expands. Mullein acts as a kind of soothing balm that eases and covers with its leaves the devastation and disruption and helps regenerate new growth.
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​Medicinal Plant Part: Leaf, Flower

Medicinal Actions:
Demulcent, emollient, astringent, antimicrobial, antispasmodic, pectoralis, expectorant, and relaxant properties, which makes it beautifully helpful in pectoral/respiratory complaints and bleeding of the lungs and bowels. The whole plant seems to possess slightly sedative, mild narcotic properties.

Common Names:
White Mullein. Torches. Mullein Dock. Our Lady's Flannel. Velvet Dock. Blanket Herb. Velvet Plant. Woollen. Rag Paper. Candlewick Plant. 

Habitat, Description, Harvest:
Mullein is a widely distributed plant, being found all over Europe and in temperate Asia as far as the Himalayas, and in North America is exceedingly abundant as a naturalized weed in the eastern States. This plant is biennial and there are many species too. I stay with the ones that have a white mid vein and white hairs along the flower stalk. The leave can get huge, up to 2 feet long when happy, but the plant starts as a small and fuzzy rosette each spring that grows larger and larger the first year. The second year rosette emerges large and the flower stalk quickly rises from the center by late spring of the second year. Leaves are harvest through the summer of the first year to spring of the second. Flowers are harvest in the summer of the second and final year.

Herbalists seek these easily found abundant medicine plants for they provide through efficiency and potency for the relevant conditions of our times, and also provide teachings of the power of simplicity, abundance economics, and ease through their actions. 

Traditional Medicine Preparations:
For year I’ve harvested fresh Mullein leaf for tincture, dried Mullein leaves for infusions, teas and for smoke blends, freshly wilted flowers (leave out on a towel for a day so some of the water evaporates off) for Mullein Flower Infused Olive Oil. 

Harvest & Drying:
Enjoy harvesting healthy, green fuzzy Mullein leaves mid summer to fall on first or second year plants. I take from many plants so I don’t harm any one plant from taking too many. Carefully examine each leaf to check for mold or decay on the leaf undersides as these should not be harvested for medicine making. ​
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My favorite way to prep Mullein for drying is to stack the leave up and slice thin with a good sharp knife. Then load on trays or in a dehydrator. They dry quick too but be sure that center rib, which has a lot of medicine in it, is dry. Roll it between your fingers and it needs to crumble. If it stays intact and rolls around your finger, then it needs another day or two. Store in glass if possible in a cool dark place, label with date. 

​The hairs are prominent so have a good straining method before ingesting to prevent irritation in the throat.

Mullein is found in many formulas addressing the lungs for any respiratory ailments from coughs due to colds and flus to management of asthma.

​Less often noted but just as potent are the GI Tract benefits of toning and supporting digestion while soothing irritation to mucous lining. Taken as infusion, homemade syrup, or tincture, many feel the expansion of the entire chest cavity and a lengthening of the spine as breathing muscles of the diaphragm and between the ribs are relaxed so they can work more efficiently in a regular healing breath rhythm that improves air flow, oxygenation, and expectoration of excessive mucous and/or infection lodged and festering in our lung tissue. Coughing is good. But we want efficient deep coughs to clear the lungs well. The calming and expansiveness of these actions is specific for easing the spasms associated with asthma. Mullein is safe for long term dosing for such chronic conditions as this. Recover from irritated and inflamed GI tract conditions is hastened in the presence of the demulcent and astringent properties of Mullein that encourage toned well-functioning mucosa to get back on tract.

These delicate yet potent flowers are harvested for making oil for the ears for impacted ear wax mobilization and for inflammation and infection, though I tend to combine with garlic to enhance the antiseptic properties. I suggest just Mullein flower oil for impacted ear wax, any visible lesions, or abscesses in the ear canal. Please drop NOTHING in the ear canal if the ear drum is ruptured, draining mucous with a bit of blood, and already in a healing process. Before rupture, the pain is of course excruciating, but is relieved instantly with the pressure release of rupturing. The ear drum is designed to do this, and quickly, and needs no help other than keeping the outer ear clean and dry with warm soapy cloth as it drains. I encourage the person to lay affected ear down and allow the ear to naturally drain with the help of gravity onto a towel. It looks much like blowing your nose through your ear with a little blood show. Nasty, yes… but so good it’s draining away and they have found comfort from the pain! You will do more harm than good putting anything into the ear at this time. Treat the immune system internally instead, along with rest, ample hydration, and simple nourishing soups.

It is easy to find traveling otoscopes (to look inside the ear canal) for less than 15$ today and it’s a great simple tool for the practice of visualizing the ear canal when healthy and sick. It’s the only way to truly learn what an infection looks like. We must know the tissue when well for comparison so I encourage regular peeks inside the ear canal to learn. It's not hard and one can get quite good at it quickly with a little practice. Inner ear infections versus outer ear infections of the canal are easily discerned as well, though treatment is the same with localized instilling of an oil, pain management, and immune support with herbs, rest hydration and simple nourishing soups. 

Pain is managed best with nervine herbs such as Chamomile, Skullcap, or Valerian root (there are others too), and hot salt packs I learned years ago from Rosemary Gladstar.

HOT SALT PACK RECIPE: Simply warm 2 cups of dry salt in a dry pan until warm to the wrist, but not too hot to touch. Pour into a bowl lined with a clean hand towel, gather up the corners and tie closed and place over the infected painful ear. Sometimes I add a few drops of Eucalyptus or Lavender essential oil. Lay over the infected ear and neck area and rest. This stops pain almost instantly and is so soothing while waiting for other therapies to start kicking in. It increases circulation to the area and speeds drainage of the infection through opening the Eustachian tubes and sinuses. So simple and works great. 

"The flower stalk oozes a brown protective, self-healing resin for the plant that was once used in baking like Vanilla is today for it has a faint vanilla aroma and has also a great history in fermentation of stouts and liqueurs.  

Rotenone is a fish poison and very effective insecticide originally of plant origin but now synthetically produced by our government.  It occurs in mullein seeds and seed capsules, and leaves. Mullein seeds and seed capsules have been used as fish poison in the past.  Mullein seeds and flowering stalks were also used to get rid of lice and scabies. Rotenone is water insoluble, but readily soluble in ethanol, acetone, and other organic solvents such as olive oil. Fatal rotenone poisoning causes respiratory failure, ironic, huh?  Mild rotenone poisoning from inhaled mullein smoke may be spasmolytic (reduces spasms) for asthmatics and chronic bronchitis. It may suppress the cough reflex, and, act as a local anodyne (pain killer) for inflamed ear canals. Rotenone is more toxic when inhaled than when ingested. Once again, the poisonous substances of plants in low doses produce some of our strongest medicines." – Thank you to Ryan Drum.

My first year in herbal school I received visions from Mullein as the tall flower stalk superimposed as the spine within our human form. Mullein had me see and feel this in my body so I could truly know this expansion and lengthening as my cells, tissues, and bones as they made more space within my body for movement both physical and energetic. Grief work, which was in my lap back then, I learned would be a healer and teacher who would be present all through life, not just for me, but we all have this work in our lap. While I sat with these gentle giants, I learned how Mullein deeply assists us with re-patterning our stance in the presence of the grief we attempt to carry. It allows the protective heart posture of collapsing our shoulders forward with a rounded back as we pull our heart away from the world to open, to expand. Mullein supports movement, flow, and the release of the tears behind the rage, which is often one of the many masks of grief, as we re-learn a new posture, a new stance, in the presence of our grief as teacher. Solidified and held grief makes us sick. It must move. Mullein is often communal in how it grows and this mirrors the medicine of grief that also needs community. We are learning still. 

Asthma, respiratory, ear and GI tract lessons have all been learned on the job as a mom of three sons who each gave me the lessons I needed on how to assess and treat such conditions as I nudged their bodies back to health. And yes, our children carry their own grief too, sometimes lineage, personal, or collectively rooted. Mullein has always been in my home apothecary since my very first creation of an apothecary. It’s easily found in herb and health food stores for reasonable prices due to abundance and ease of harvest, or found when away from home in wild places where newly disturbed soil encourages the seeds to germinate as one of the first plants to do so in such places. Each mother plant in seed makes thousands of tiny black round seed on the huge stalks that can get up to 10 feet tall. If you find yourself on new land without Mullein there are two ways I love to entice Mullein closer. One is to call to Mullein deep within. Make an offering too. It will always come to those who wait and our work is to remain poised and ready to receive. Many are surprised at how Mullein shows up too. The other way is to find stalks in seed and carefully transport to your land in some creative way. Then wave and whack these as massive wands over areas you think Mullein will love, partly to full sun is preferred. I sing softly and speak praise to this beauty too. I imagine I’m quite a sight and it makes for great conversation from non-gardening or non-herbalist neighbor folk!  
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Thank you for wandering through here. Much love, Jen



(Article Updated 12/2024)

So let's refine your ability to understand the language within the herbal world. It is an easy first step and you'll be glad you're able to discern as you engage the healing art of this medicine world. I'm dedicated to making it clear about the different ways to prepare herbs, fresh or dried, with water so that you can take them into your body either orally, as compresses on your skin, in soaks and steams , or in the bath. It is our oldest, most effective, and most widely used form of herbal medicine.

I completely agree and there is no way to say it better. The whole idea of drinking herbal teas is to bath your cells at regular intervals (ie. 3x/day) with the healing properties of the plant. What are the healing properties? Well, they include not only the medicinal, active strong properties, but also nourishing properties to build a particular system up (such as minerals, vitamins), and buffer properties to soften the harshness that could cause unpleasant side effects, and catalysts to direct and energize the healing to where you need help. Yes, nature provides, and in an incredibly elegant way with a multitude of forms! 

The making of herbal tea is a fine art we humans have enjoyed for thousands of years. It is also, thankfully, incredibly simple. Even if you have never cooked and have no desire, you can do this. All you need is a heat safe quart jar with a tight-fitting lid, the herb(s), and water that has reached the boiling point. Make sure it is a canning jar or reused pickle jar so it doesn't crack with the hot water.

Herbal teas can be drunk hot, at room temperature or iced. They’re delicious blended with a little fruit juice and frozen as pops for children who are sick.

After brewing the 5-10 minute usual time, herbal teas should be stored in the refrigerator. Left at room temperature for several hours, it will go “flat,” get tiny bubbles in it and begin to sour. Stored in the refrigerator, an herbal tea will be good for three to four days.

A cup of herbal tea is one thing. There is pleasure and healing with the 5-10 minutes soak of a tea bag or ball. However, medicinal teas or infusions by the cupful are very impractical and time consuming. What this translates to is one not making their herbal infusions correctly or often enough because it becomes time consuming. Then you stop taking what you need to take and the health issue you were working on deepens. Then your experience with herbal medicine is marred some. I do hear people say "it did nothing" and when we talk about what they actually did, it usually reveals some issues related to consistency and the strength of preparation. 

For larger quantities, make a quart of tea each morning or in the evening. The herb-to-water ratio varies depending on the quality of herbs used, whether they are fresh or dried and how strong you wish the finished tea to be. 

Herbal infusions are made from the more delicate plant parts, including the leaves, flowers and aromatic parts or seeds. These fragile plant parts must be steeped rather than simmered because they give up their medicinal properties more easily than do the tougher roots and barks. To make an infusion, simply boil 1 quart of water per ounce of herb (or 1 cup of water to 1-3 tablespoon of herb). Pour water over the herb(s) and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes and up to 4 hour at least before drinking (more instructions below).  I often leave these overnight, capped, and wrapped with a towel on the counter. The brews are stronger and have an innate ability to withstand hours out of the refrigerator because of how potent they are. The proportion of water to herb and the required time to infuse varies, depending on the herb. Start out with the above proportions and then experiment. The more herb you use and the longer you let it steep, the stronger the brew. Let your taste buds and your senses guide you. We call these senses your "organoleptic" senses or your original senses that give you valuable information about a substance using your body like an antennae.  

Tools: To make an infusion, simply boil 1 quart of water per ounce of herb (or 1 cup of water to 1 tablespoon of herb). Pour water over the herb(s) and let steep for 30 to 60 minutes at least before drinking. I often leave these overnight capped and wrapped with a towel. The brews are stronger and have an innate ability to withstand hours out of the refrigerator because of their strength. The proportion of water to herb and the required time to infuse varies greatly, depending on the herb. Start out with the above proportions and then experiment. The more herb you use and the longer you let it steep, the stronger the brew. Let your taste buds and your senses guide you.

Ratio: I like to use 1 to 3 tablespoons of herb(s) for each cup of water, or 4 to 8 tablespoons of herb per quart of water, depending on the herb. So add your herb to the jar, pour your "just to the boil point" water in and cap.  I wrap a dish towel around the jar to keep the heat in. That's just my way and not necessary. I wait at least 30 minutes before I drink any. 

Use twice as much herb if your are using fresh plant material. Why? It' all about the water. Fresh plants still have their water in their cells and so take up more space than ones that are dried. That is why dried plants, without their water, can stand in a jar in a dark place and not rot. 

Heating: Place your dried herb in your jar and let it stand in the sink while you boil your water. So for a 1 quart jar I add a small handful which is about 4-12 Tb. If your infusion comes out so strong that it's hard for you to drink, that's fine and you're not the first to do this! I once made a high iron brew with a friend of mine as we were pregnant and anemic together in the early part of pregnancy. This is not uncommon as the body works hard to increase blood volume by 50% for baby! So our first sip was hysterical for we had such high expectations after all this hard work.... it tasted like someone had melted down a piece of the Brooklyn bridge! Totally metallic in taste... we both gasped and fell into hysterics. It did make total sense and yes, it was loaded with iron! We added more water and a bit of maple syrup to make is palatable at the drinking phase AND made notes on our recipe. This is how we all learn. By doing. By experiencing. I have a grand story too which is even better for remembering! 

So now, pour your boiled water into the jar with herbs and put the lid on. Or just leave in your pot on the stove if that is what you chose to use. 

Straining: General rules are wait 1 hour for aromatic seeds and flowers, up to four hours for mixed seeds, flowers and leaf material.  Then strain. It is fine to leave it longer but keeping the plants with the water at least this long gives you more of the medicine and nutrients we discussed.

Dose: For a medicinal tea to be effective, it must be administered in small amounts several times daily as stated above. For chronic problems, serve the tea three or four times daily. For acute ailments such as colds, fevers and headaches, take several small sips every 30 minutes until the symptoms subside. A serving is a good size mug for an adult or 6-8 fluid ounces. The dose is reduced or increased based on body size. 

Unlike infusions, decoctions are boiled. Woody roots, non-aromatic seeds and barks are suited to this method. If you simply infuse roots and barks in hot water, as you do leaves and flowers, you will not extract the full medicinal properties of the herb. You will find some blends with mixed roots, barks, seeds, flowers and leaves. If you pour the blend in your hand, it should have these plant parts in varying sizes. For example, denser roots and barks will be in smaller pieces than the leaves and flowers. It takes time and experience to learn this part of herbal medicine crafting. For now learn the basics that give you a strong scaffolding to build on. There's a funny truth about plant people.... we always come around to the beginning and work with the simple ways. It is common to see a 30 year veteran herbalist boiling a decoction of one plant to use for days. 


Tools: You will need a non-reactive, heavy saucepan. I use an enamel pot. Acupuncturists prefer you use glass instead of metal and I lean this way too most of the time.  It is the perfect size for me, as I normally make decoctions 2-3 cups/500-750 ml at a time.

Ratio: Amounts can vary, depending upon your taste and the potency of the herbs. A general rule is 1 to 2 teaspoons of herb mixture to each cup of water is a good starting point. Roots and barks are more concentrated than the lighter leaves and flowers used in infusions, so less is needed. The density granted these plant parts helps increase their medicine holding per square inch... if there is such a measurement!

Heating: Start with cold water over a low heat and slowly bring herb mixture to a simmering boil. It is important to bring the herbs and water up to boiling together. Throwing herbs into boiling water destroys some desired properties. Keep the pot covered and simmer for ten to 20 minutes. Take off heat and leave covered while your decoction cools to drinking temperature.

Straining: I often let the mixture set all day or overnight without straining. I will sometimes wrap a kitchen towel around it to keep the heat in a bit more too but this is not a must. The heavy roots and barks settle to the bottom, and you can pour off the top. 

Overnight Method: Use this method when the material you want to extract is a bitter, or mineral salt. The whole herb, roots or seeds, or the bark of a woody plant are soaked in cold water for several hours to over night.  Then this is brought to a boil and simmered for 30 minutes, cooled a bit covered, and strained.

For a good description on this, please see my Root Beer Syrup recipe. Double decocted herbs are often used to concentrate a remedy so that smaller quantities are needed per dose and it also increases shelf life your medicines. They taste pretty intense and are not what I call enjoyable for the most part. I say they are best done as shot in one gulp! Syrups are another option which provide lower quantity in dosing, increases shelf life, AND they can taste lovely or at least slightly palatable. I have found that those raised in the USA tend to be much more concerned about taste and it is the least thing considered when it comes to medicine making from a global perspective. None the less, flavor is fun to play with. 

I do hope this has helped you understand our oldest for of medicine - water based preparations. Be sure to send any questions along. Be Well, Jen