Mullein is a useful and medicinal herb, and it looks beautiful. This plant, thanks to bright flowers, can become a decoration of a flower bed. The genus Mullein (Verbascum) belongs to the numerous Norichen family (Scrophulariaceae), which is known for its medicinal properties. This genus has about 280 species that are distributed throughout Eurasia, but their greatest diversity is in the Mediterranean. Of all the species, the common mullein is the most famous and popular.
Description
Mullein is a grass that spreads easily throughout the county due to the sheer amount of seeds carried by the wind. This plant is probably familiar to every person. Mullens are annual, biennial or perennial.
Leaves are simple, collected in basal rosettes. The buds, depending on the variety, are placed more or less densely on the spike-shaped inflorescence. Mullein flowers have the appearance of a five-membered corolla, they are most often colored yellow, but again, depending on the variety, they can be white or even red. In boxes, a lot of seeds ripen. In the wild, they are sown themselves, forming whole glades of mullein.
Common mullein
The most common is ordinary mullein. It is also popularly called the bear’s ear. And this is only the beginning of a long list of different names for the same plant. In the nineteenth century, more than forty mullein were known. The most memorable are the beard of the hare, the adam rod, the ice sheet. Due to the hairiness, he was also awarded such names as velvet, obscure, flannel and many others.
This species, unlike the others, has small flowers. That is why the common mullein is called finely flowered. In European reference books it is listed as a large mullein, in North America - as an ordinary mullein. This plant is very useful and, one might say, famous. Perhaps this is precisely the reason for such a variety of names.
Description of common mullein
Bear’s ear is a two-year-old herbaceous plant. The stem of the mullein is erect with regular large oblong leaves.
Light yellow flowers are collected in a spike-shaped inflorescence 1.6-1.8 cm high. It blooms in June, flowering lasts a whole summer until the end of August. In the natural environment it is found on forest edges, clearings, clearings, slopes of ravines and near water bodies.
Growing on the site
The common mullein loves the sun and well-permeable soil, so if you decide to "settle" this doctor from nature by nature, then select the appropriate sunny place for it.
You can sow seeds in three terms: in early spring, summer and late August. In any of the three options, the mullein has time to form a socket before the onset of cold weather. If you plant a plant at the end of summer, then the outlet will be small, but this is not an obstacle for normal further development.
Mullein seeds are small, therefore they need to be sown with a minimum of ground cultivation, the recommended depth is 1 cm. It is not necessary to prepare seed for planting. To sprouted as soon as possible, the garden bed needs to be watered, especially in the summer and in the absence of rain.
The first thirty days, seedlings develop very slowly. Care for them is the timely removal of weeds and loosening of the soil. It is necessary to ensure that no crust forms on the surface of the earth. If the seedlings are too thickened, then they should be broken through, leaving 14-18 plants per row meter.
It is best to determine the place for the mullein near the fence, where it will be protected from gusts of wind.
Application and procurement of medicinal raw materials
The bear’s ear is considered an ornamental plant that looks great on flower beds, lawns, in single or group plantings. In addition, the mullein is a wonderful honey plant. But most of all it is valued for being a medicinal plant. In folk medicine, stems, leaves, flowers and roots are widely used.
The collection of medicinal herbs is a necessary and useful matter. It is better to independently prepare for yourself and your family a natural medicine. To properly collect and dry the mullein, you need to be very careful. When collecting, drying and storing flowers, they can lose their golden color, while acquiring a dirty brown color. But this is not the main trouble, more importantly, together with a beautiful color, the flowers lose a lot of their healing properties.
To avoid this, you need to collect raw materials in the late morning, when the sun dries the dew. At this time, you can easily separate the blossoming buds from the stamens attached to them. If you want to prepare good medicinal raw materials, try not to take flower cups. Drying is recommended in a ventilated area. Dried flowers are stored in well-closed containers. This is necessary so that they again do not collect moisture from the air.
Tips for harvesting mullein flowers:
- Harvesting is carried out throughout July-August.
- It is unacceptable to collect flowers wilted and wet from rain or dew for harvesting.
- Mullein is considered dried when the corollas become fragile, golden yellow, with a delicate mucus-sweet taste and a honey smell.
Leaves and stems are harvested in the same way throughout the summer, roots need to be stocked in the fall. In the role of doctors, by nature, the Mullein officinalis and umbelliform have well established themselves. Do not use black and cockroach mullein.
Healing properties
In ancient times, even in pagan Russia, our ancestors used the healing properties of mullein. And nowadays this plant is successfully used by healers of many countries for the treatment of diseases. This plant has antiseptic, emollient, enveloping, expectorant, anti-inflammatory effects. Mullein flower infusion is recommended in the treatment of whooping cough, catarrhal cough, hoarseness, pneumonia, shortness of breath, bronchitis. With its help, an attack of asthma and convulsions is stopped.
Traditional medicine recipes
In folk medicine, there are many recipes using mullein, with their help you can get rid of many diseases. Let's consider some of them.
- 5 g of raw materials pour one cup of boiling water and leave to infuse for 2-3 hours, then strain. It is recommended to take the infusion in the form of heat half an hour before a meal 3 times a day for 1/3 cup
- Pour one tablespoon of raw materials with one glass of boiling water. Leave to infuse for 20 minutes, then strain. Take one tablespoon 30 minutes before meals three times a day.
- Pour one tablespoon of raw materials with one glass of 40% alcohol or vodka, leave to infuse in a dark place for two weeks, then strain. The prepared tincture is used for radiculitis, rheumatism and joint diseases.
- Flowering shoots of a bear’s ear are mixed with a succession, calamus, willow, sage, thyme and used for baths for rickets in children.
- The powder of flowers is used to heal wounds and cracks in the corners of the mouth and on the nipples of the female breast. Pre-affected areas are lubricated with carrot juice.
- Mullein powder ointment is used to treat purulent wounds and ulcers.
- Ointment of mullein seed powder is prepared as follows. 5 parts of seed powder and 10 parts of butter are mixed. It is used to treat ulcers and putrefactive wounds.
- You can make poultices. Pour 4 tablespoons of leaves or flowers with boiling water and apply to problem areas, previously wrapped in gauze.
- Fresh leaves are applied to wounds, boils and ulcers, and dry leaves, ground into powder, sprinkle wounds.
Contraindications
Common Mullein is a very valuable medicinal plant. Each medicine has its own contraindications, but as for the bear’s ear, no contraindications have been found. It is only necessary, taking infusions from mullein, to take into account personal intolerance and make sure that there is no allergic reaction.
Interesting Facts
- Westerners call the mullein "cowboy toilet paper" because of its hairiness.
- Mullein from ancient times is considered a magical plant.
- According to legend, witches used mullein to make a witch's potion.
- Some people believe that Mullein officinalis averts curses and drives away evil spirits.
- Our distant ancestors, dipping the stalk of mullein in resin, made a torch out of it, which burned for a long time. Translated from German, Koenigskerze is “royal candle”.
- Mullein served to dye fabrics, and sometimes even to dye hair. The flowers of the bear’s ear gave a bright yellow or green color.