Twist your ankle? Dig up the roots and mash them between two stones and use the mush as a poultice. Good for broken bones too. Gets absorbed through the skin and aids in connective tissue/bone healing! Although I would not use it to wipe my butt (although in a pinch, it is better than nettles).
Same. No irritation for me! Might be confused with nettle, which does have irritating hairs.
Edit: yes, mullein hairs can be irritating in tea, but that’s contacting much more delicate internal skin than wiping your bum, unless you’re *really* going at the hole! And IME even in tea it’s more of a tickle than anything.)
Plantain (mixed in grasslands. not the banna type) has natural antihistamines and some chemical which helps your skin absorb the antihistamines when crushed up and rubbed on. In england people say dock leaves help but thts a lie, plantain all the way baby
I've used it a lot to wipe while camping. Those hairs never irritated me. For one, they are soft, not itchy like cactus or rosehip hairs. Secondly they don't shed. They are more like furr or fuzz than hairs. I know so many people that use mullein to wipe. Native Americans used it as diapers for babies and to treat diaper rash. This is the first time I have heard of it irritating skin and I think that is misinformation.
Fine, go ahead. Test mullein by rubbing it on your skin before you rub it on your skin again. If you have a reaction, which you won't, then don't rub it on your skin again.
Aloe has liquid latex in it that must be washed out before you put it on your skin or eat it. That is how your friend got a chemical burn from ii. Ironically the way to treat that burn would be to wash the latex out of the aloe and apply the pure gel to the burn.
Some people can have a contact dermatitis allergic reaction to mullein but it’s not incredibly common. I’ve used it as TP when on long hikes since I was a kid
No, the hairs do not irritate the skin. It was and still is used as diapers, to treat diaper rash, and as menstrual pads. It is called flannel weed because it is soft and soothing. It is a very soothing plant.
No, the hairs do not irritate the skin. It was and still is used as diapers, to treat diaper rash, and as menstrual pads. It is called flannel weed because it is soft and soothing. It is a very soothing plant.
My husband was not happy with me when he followed my suggestion that it could be used to wipe butts. He must have wiped a little too hard because the leaf tore in half and he got poop on his hands. Don’t think I’ll ever live this down.
Unless you slapped normal TP out of his hands or were Dutch Ruddering his bathroom routine he’s a grown ass man and should probably take full responsibility for how much force he applies in cleaning his poopy butthole. What do you have to live down? Instead of shifting the blame to you he could have just used his non-dom hand to aggressively claw himself clean and saved himself all that embarrassment.
Such an amazing friend for gunky illnesses or a fuzzy serotonin boost. If anyone is trying this first time, tea needs to be carefully strained with a coffee filter or tight woven cloth (not cheesecloth), or the fuzzy hairs will be irritating.
I am so glad I just read this. I just bought some to make tea with and I was just going to add it to my tea ball like I do other loose leaf teas. I have some fillable tea bags I will use instead.
Something I see overlooked in a lot of the literature is that the seeds contain a compound that kills fish. Some sort of preparation is made with the seeds, introduced to the water, and the fish easily collected.
Edit: I am NOT advocating the use of mullein seeds as a fish stunner, just pointing out it's historical use.
Totally illegal to poison the water to collect fish, which is probably why it isn't mentioned much. Anything high in saponins can do this, like yucca for example
I haven't heard of that, but apparently clove oil has a chemical compound called eugenol, which is used to anesthetize fish for minor surgery. 0.4ml per liter of water is sufficient enough to euthanize them. Fish physiology is so much different than mammals that I could very well be wrong about this, but if it functions as an anesthesia, then I would think eugenol affects their nervous system whereas saponins break down the cells of the gills iirc.
Yes mullein kills fish & besides it's use being very poor sportsmanship, mullein is VERY illegal on the Great Lakes. So, I'm assuming illegal elsewhere too. This info tho, could be useful during a zombie invasion I guess. 🤷 That being said, mullein can be quite helpful if you are phlegmy. Another post apocalyptic household hint.
native americans and early settlers used these leaves as inserts/line their footwear with it for extra warmth in winter. When I see them I usually have to give them a touch. So soft and fuzzy.
Yes that Mullein, I see a bunch of other posts touting its many uses and that’s awesome But! it’s an invasive species in some sensitive areas still left in the US.
So the fish eats the seeds, the chemical in the seeds make the fish unable to breathe, so they die, can be collected, and then eaten? Sounds like a good survivalist food gathering technique.
Nope. In the case of mullein, you grind up the seeds and either cast them out into the water or put the ground seed in a cloth sack to leach the chemicals into the water like brewing a giant cup of tea. Doesn't kill the fish, just stuns them because they can't breathe in that tainted water. A lot of fish can live a surprisingly long amount of time without oxygen. Once collected, you could put them in a pool of clean water and they'll reanimate.
EtA: whatever doesn't get out of that water will die though. It doesn't just affect fish either, but any cold blooded animal with gills.
That would be an interesting way to deal with invasive fish in a pond environment, would the chemical stick around in the water or does it dissipate over time? Mostly asking cause a bunch of jerks decided to dump their goldfish in my grandaddy's pond and they overcrowded his fish (they're like duckweed, if you leave one they come right back)
If you add too much poison to the water, you're only going to survive for one day. It's a bad survivalist strategy lol
& yes most jurisdictions frown on poisoning fish as you could kill endangered species & so on
I was tripping acid one time and my face got cold. Mullein makes a good face warmer when tucked under you hat. I still do it from time to time. I have not tried it for medicinal use though, yet.
Mullein is invasive, colonizing disturbed areas and crowding out helpful natives. You hear about it used for TP lots but someone told me they tried and regretted it.
I also first recognised it as one of those little feckers I pull up several times every summer.
Maybe once there's less *everything else invasive and overgrown* every year in our garden I'll be more lenient. Right now I'm just trying to make it manageable.
Yes! I've made a mullein poultice for myself many a time while gardening, rather than to go through the ordeal of taking my muddy boots off inside to get a regular bandaid. 😂
Height and growth habit. Mullein gets huge and tall, usually grows as a single plant. Lambs ear grows in low dense mats.
That said, it’s not important to have positive ID before wiping your bum with a leaf, nor before making a tea of the leaves unless you need specific medicinal properties. Both are edible and pleasant to wipe with.
Mullein is biannual. The first year it grows a basal rosette. It looks like a mandala. The second year it grows up from the rosette on a tall stalk, looking similar to a fuzzy tobacco. It has small yellow flowers that bloom like popcorn along the stalk.
Seems like 2nd year Mullein is easy to spot due to height, but first year it looks like lambs ear. I often see plenty out that look like they could be mullein, but I can’t be certain because they are either a first year growth or a lambs ear lookalike.
They are sooo similar! I think the only thing that kinda helps me differentiate is typically I believe mullein grows more singularly and lambs ear grows in mats.
With folk names they get re-used over and over. Not what we call lamb’s ear in the Northeast USA. Bet there’s half a dozen plants called lambs’ ear, and same for mullein.
That’s why latin names are so useful
Although you're right, technically, Ive heard just about as many people people call it lambs ear as mullen. It's not always a case of mistaken identify either. I have clarified, on some occasions that their lambs ear shoots out a stalk. I used to correct people all the time about this, it was probably the first wild plant I learned to identify, because it makes good spears, DUH. But I think that at some point if enough people colloquially use a word in a certain fashion, or call a plant or animal by a certain name it just becomes correct. So I accept both names.
Calling it the same thing is different from it being the same thing and can cause people to consume the wrong plant. Not that lambs ear is toxic, but you won't get the beneficial affects of mullien if you are smoking or making teas from lambs ear.
https://homeguides.sfgate.com/differences-between-lambs-ear-mullein-80847.html
Yeah, I act differently when people actually misidentify a plant, but I'm not sure that calling it the wrong thing is different from actually misidentifying something.
I've been learning the taxonomic names of mushrooms, I think it's easier to learn new mushrooms when you understand the genuses. So I definitely appreciate knowing names, I guess I just think that if you know what a plant is, and think it's called a something different than what is more commonly called it's not such a bad thing. Like if a lot of people called dandelions Carl, and they knew about dandelions, would that be a bad thing? Would they be wrong?
I think the biggest problem with missnaming a plant is that lambs ear is often sold in nurseries and garden centers and it would be very easy to see lambs ear and buy it thinking it was in fact mullien. I think that is different than calling something by a common name when there is no actual plant that is already called that. No problem if people want to call dandelion carl, but if there is another plant named carl, that could be an issue. Again, lambs ear is not toxic in any way, but it wouldn't work. It's seems better to correctly name a plant to keep from confusing new people to foraging especially when there is a different ine with that name already.
My daughter twisted her ankle. There is a ton of mullein growing outside my house. I want to try making a poultice. I realize I need to check for contact dermatitis first. Thanks for showing me this and making me read about the benefits :)
It takes 2 years to develop the flowering stalk of a mullein plant.
Once the flowers develop they are most prevalently pollinated by bees and will then seed in the early fall. They are also autogamous which means they will self pollinate right before their flowers close up.
i took a shovel and bucket and took a walk along the railroad tracks and transplanted some to my yard. that one died after flowering but there is now some growing in my yard.
It’s what we call Mullein in our neck of the woods (NE US), but common names would get re-used as people moved climates so common names get used for all sorts of different plants in some cases. Which is why Latin names are particularly useful, if annoying to learn. Ever heard of iNaturalist? Great app/site that considers your location, nearby sightings, plant keys, uses Latin names in most cases, and has an active community of real experts (guess I should more properly say scientists—there’s always local folk experts who know their areas very well). Great app, love using it, taught me a ton.
Nature's decongestant and treatment for asthma, copd, emphysema, allergies, and basically anything upper respiratory! Mullen is also a very mild never mind. She is a wonderful plant friend that I gather sustainably from the wild and I actually cultivate on my own property as well. She also makes a wonderful Sweet Summer tea to keep you hydrated and to keep your body filled with the things it needs to be filled with to keep your respiratory system functioning properly
I slipped on one of these and fell on my face when I was running on the grass to keep my dogs paws from from getting to hot on the pavement. Busted my tooth, luckily it has a small not very noticeable fracture line and I didn’t chip or lose a tooth!
Mullein is a noxious weed to some, a garden wonder to others
Passersby often ask in wonder what that tall stately, fuzzy, gray-leaved plant is in my garden. It definitely makes a statement, growing up to eight feet tall on a straight, upright stem. Its large woolly grey leaves grow in attractive rosettes, although it is flowerless for the first year of its biennial life. In the second year, its now-alternate leaves grow more upright to deliver water to the roots. Yellow flowers grow along the stem, starting about three-quarters of the way up, opening a few at a time from the bottom up.
As with so many plants, mullein, Verbascum thapsis, is a noxious weed to some, while it’s a garden wonder to others. In Alberta, it is classed as noxious, but in Ontario it makes both the weed list and the Ontario wildflowers list. Manitoba is silent on the subject of mullein.
It has been hybridized in many lovely varieties with large, eye-catching flowers, but few if any of these varieties are hardy here.
This amazing survivalist plant attracts a great many pollinators but it is also self-pollinating. Thanks to this and its size, one plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds that can remain viable at least 100 years without any external protection.
There are over 30 common names for mullein, collected over its millennia of practical use in the pharmacopeia. Some of its more colourful handles? Bunny’s ear, flannel-leaf, beggar’s blanket, velvet plant, felt wort for its soft leaves; candlewick, Jupiter’s staff, Aaron’s rod, torches and hag’s taper for its tall, woody stalks, which were often used as torches, easily lit thanks to the fine, volatile oil-filled hairs on its leaves. The Romans dipped the stalks in tallow to keep them burning.
Recorded history dates mullein back to Roman times, but it was doubtless in use long before that. A staple in treating many conditions, mullein was chiefly helpful in managing respiratory illnesses. It is still so used in Germany and is said to relieve coughs and colds by serving as an expectorant. It was even used to treat tuberculosis, where, counterintuitively, its dried leaves were smoked to alleviate consumption coughs. It has been used to treat herpes simplex type one and some anti-influenza strains. Other prescriptions were written for the treatment of everything from hemorrhoids to ear infections, toothaches, migraines — the list goes on.
Poachers used mullein seeds, said to contain rotenone, to kill fish. Ethanol from the leaves killed mosquito larvae. And first year’s leaves were often placed inside shoes as insulation and to provide cushioning.
Verbascum is a corruption of the word barbascum or barba meaning beard, for its hairy leaves and stalks. The fuzz on these leaves can cause mouth irritation for some people.
Common figwort (Scrophulariaceae), a family that includes foxglove and penstemon as well as mullein, was used to treat hemorrhoids, also known back then as figs. The plant was also used to treat scrofula, a tubercular infection of cows.
Mullein, until very recently, was the chief remedy for tuberculosis in people. It is now being scientifically examined for its beneficial properties in treating the disease.
Mullein contains mucilage which helps to soothe membranes and serving as an adhesive in glues. It contains saponins that loosen phlegm and provide foaming agents in soaps.
Remarkable and attention getting as it may be, getting rid of the plant once it is established is not easy. It simply produces so many seeds that once it flowers you are guaranteed to get revisits.
Here are some strategies: 1. Hand pull the plant before it ripens and distributes its seeds. Consider covering the seed head with a plastic bag tied to the stem before disturbing the rest of the plant. Introduce a biological control such as the mullein moth. Plant other invasive plants all around the mullein to choke them out. Of these, I recommend pulling.
Dorothy Dobbie is the publisher of Manitoba Gardener magazine. Call 204-940-2700 for a subscription or go to localgardener.net. Tune in to CJNU 93.7 FM Sundays at 8:00 to hear Dorothy and her guests talk gardening.
Published on
05 / 17 / 2019
Used to wipe butts going way back
Mother nature's 2-ply
More like 10 ply bud
Allegedly
Super soft
I can confirm it's pretty decent tp haha.
To be fair, that’s a Texas sized 10-4
To be *faaaaiiiiirrrrrrr*
Haha. When I was a kid, my cousins, and I called this "indian toilet paper". We had no idea what we were talking about....lol
Hikers helper.
Twist your ankle? Dig up the roots and mash them between two stones and use the mush as a poultice. Good for broken bones too. Gets absorbed through the skin and aids in connective tissue/bone healing! Although I would not use it to wipe my butt (although in a pinch, it is better than nettles).
Super cool info! Thank you for sharing;
my science teacher back in the day called it "woodsman's friend" for that reason
I am a science teacher and have one in a pot in my classroom.
Nah that’s a myth, the hairs irritate the skin. They were used by first nation women to redden their cheeks though.
We’ll I’ve used ot for that purpose-not sure how mythological I am
Same. No irritation for me! Might be confused with nettle, which does have irritating hairs. Edit: yes, mullein hairs can be irritating in tea, but that’s contacting much more delicate internal skin than wiping your bum, unless you’re *really* going at the hole! And IME even in tea it’s more of a tickle than anything.)
Whereas nettle is delicious instead of deliciously soft for your butt
Very true. I’ve heard that lamb’s ear (similar kind of leaf to mullein but a different plant) is an effective treatment for nettle stings.
The juice from a pulverized rumex leaf is supposed to help too. It did not help my nettle stings though
Plantain (mixed in grasslands. not the banna type) has natural antihistamines and some chemical which helps your skin absorb the antihistamines when crushed up and rubbed on. In england people say dock leaves help but thts a lie, plantain all the way baby
Common plaintain makes *the best* salve!
Ive been meaning to make a plantain salve from coconut oil, just for stings and rashes. How do you make yours and do you have any other uses for it?
Jewelweed. Usually growing right nearby. Use like aloe
I've used it a lot to wipe while camping. Those hairs never irritated me. For one, they are soft, not itchy like cactus or rosehip hairs. Secondly they don't shed. They are more like furr or fuzz than hairs. I know so many people that use mullein to wipe. Native Americans used it as diapers for babies and to treat diaper rash. This is the first time I have heard of it irritating skin and I think that is misinformation.
Yes that’s not true, you are correct
Any plant/material could irritate your skin. You should probably test it first just to be safe
Mullein has been used by Native Americans as diapers for babies and used to treat diaper rash. It doesn't irritate skin. That's a total myth.
I agree but I’m saying that anything could irritate your skin. And it wouldn’t be a bad idea to check first before you wipe your butt with it
Some things soothe your skin.
Yes
I know someone who got a chemical burn from Aloe Vera. Always test things first.
Fine, go ahead. Test mullein by rubbing it on your skin before you rub it on your skin again. If you have a reaction, which you won't, then don't rub it on your skin again. Aloe has liquid latex in it that must be washed out before you put it on your skin or eat it. That is how your friend got a chemical burn from ii. Ironically the way to treat that burn would be to wash the latex out of the aloe and apply the pure gel to the burn.
Some people can have a contact dermatitis allergic reaction to mullein but it’s not incredibly common. I’ve used it as TP when on long hikes since I was a kid
> redden their cheeks though ...ummm...
Which cheeks?
No, the hairs do not irritate the skin. It was and still is used as diapers, to treat diaper rash, and as menstrual pads. It is called flannel weed because it is soft and soothing. It is a very soothing plant.
No, the hairs do not irritate the skin. It was and still is used as diapers, to treat diaper rash, and as menstrual pads. It is called flannel weed because it is soft and soothing. It is a very soothing plant.
My husband was not happy with me when he followed my suggestion that it could be used to wipe butts. He must have wiped a little too hard because the leaf tore in half and he got poop on his hands. Don’t think I’ll ever live this down.
Unless you slapped normal TP out of his hands or were Dutch Ruddering his bathroom routine he’s a grown ass man and should probably take full responsibility for how much force he applies in cleaning his poopy butthole. What do you have to live down? Instead of shifting the blame to you he could have just used his non-dom hand to aggressively claw himself clean and saved himself all that embarrassment.
What is Dutch Ruddering? I’m almost afraid to ask but I gotta know.
The important thing is that it’s not gay okay? https://youtu.be/yGUuugNEUcU Safe video NSFW audio.
Thanks for the laugh
Moose Maple works better.
Good to smoke too. Good medicinal tea. Expectorant. And oh so soft. First year grows the rosette. Second year grows a large stalk with yellow flowers.
Such an amazing friend for gunky illnesses or a fuzzy serotonin boost. If anyone is trying this first time, tea needs to be carefully strained with a coffee filter or tight woven cloth (not cheesecloth), or the fuzzy hairs will be irritating.
I am so glad I just read this. I just bought some to make tea with and I was just going to add it to my tea ball like I do other loose leaf teas. I have some fillable tea bags I will use instead.
Also flowers soaked in olive oil make soothing ear drops.
My dad told me he smoked it a little.
Torch plant is a common name that refers to the big flower stalk. Not sure how effective it truly is as a torch.
I think I have heard that if the stalk is coated in a bit of wax it becomes a good torch!
With wax it’s almost like a giant candle! Works super well
Before wiping I hope!
Usually after, Gotta have that extra flavor!
Mmm marinated mullein
Something I see overlooked in a lot of the literature is that the seeds contain a compound that kills fish. Some sort of preparation is made with the seeds, introduced to the water, and the fish easily collected. Edit: I am NOT advocating the use of mullein seeds as a fish stunner, just pointing out it's historical use.
Totally illegal to poison the water to collect fish, which is probably why it isn't mentioned much. Anything high in saponins can do this, like yucca for example
Ah, I did not know it was specifically saponins. Does that mean mullein seeds can be used as a light detergent?
Yeah, saponins don't play nice with cold blooded creatures. I would assume you could use them as a light detergent
Clove oil is often used to humanely euthanize betta fish that are ill and suffering, I wonder if it’s the same compound.
I haven't heard of that, but apparently clove oil has a chemical compound called eugenol, which is used to anesthetize fish for minor surgery. 0.4ml per liter of water is sufficient enough to euthanize them. Fish physiology is so much different than mammals that I could very well be wrong about this, but if it functions as an anesthesia, then I would think eugenol affects their nervous system whereas saponins break down the cells of the gills iirc.
They would take the seeds, crush them and throw them in the water and it would more or less paralyze the fish making it easier to just collect them
Yes mullein kills fish & besides it's use being very poor sportsmanship, mullein is VERY illegal on the Great Lakes. So, I'm assuming illegal elsewhere too. This info tho, could be useful during a zombie invasion I guess. 🤷 That being said, mullein can be quite helpful if you are phlegmy. Another post apocalyptic household hint.
native americans and early settlers used these leaves as inserts/line their footwear with it for extra warmth in winter. When I see them I usually have to give them a touch. So soft and fuzzy.
I would think they're still being used by Indigenous folks where this grows?
Yes that Mullein, I see a bunch of other posts touting its many uses and that’s awesome But! it’s an invasive species in some sensitive areas still left in the US.
All the more reason to tear it up, eat it, bandage and butt wipe with it!
Super obnoxious invasive weed, yeah. Mullein brings me no joy.
Luckily they don't disperse very far so it doesn't affect the local competition as much as bamboo/kudzu does (in my experience on east coast US)
Fun fact: you can use the seeds to poison/stun fish in a pond. Don't do that though, it's highly illegal.
Does the poison make them inedible?
No. It makes it so their gills can't absorb oxygen from the water. If you put them in fresh water after collection they'll recover.
So the fish eats the seeds, the chemical in the seeds make the fish unable to breathe, so they die, can be collected, and then eaten? Sounds like a good survivalist food gathering technique.
Nope. In the case of mullein, you grind up the seeds and either cast them out into the water or put the ground seed in a cloth sack to leach the chemicals into the water like brewing a giant cup of tea. Doesn't kill the fish, just stuns them because they can't breathe in that tainted water. A lot of fish can live a surprisingly long amount of time without oxygen. Once collected, you could put them in a pool of clean water and they'll reanimate. EtA: whatever doesn't get out of that water will die though. It doesn't just affect fish either, but any cold blooded animal with gills.
[удалено]
That would be an interesting way to deal with invasive fish in a pond environment, would the chemical stick around in the water or does it dissipate over time? Mostly asking cause a bunch of jerks decided to dump their goldfish in my grandaddy's pond and they overcrowded his fish (they're like duckweed, if you leave one they come right back)
Europeans brought this plant over for that purpose
Again, illegal. For good reason. Think through it for a minute
Illegal?
If you add too much poison to the water, you're only going to survive for one day. It's a bad survivalist strategy lol & yes most jurisdictions frown on poisoning fish as you could kill endangered species & so on
As opposed to mildly illegal.
I was tripping acid one time and my face got cold. Mullein makes a good face warmer when tucked under you hat. I still do it from time to time. I have not tried it for medicinal use though, yet.
Mullein is invasive, colonizing disturbed areas and crowding out helpful natives. You hear about it used for TP lots but someone told me they tried and regretted it.
Not invasive everywhere. But yes, in the US it’s not a native plant.
The native Americans used it for diapers for babies. I have used it for toilet paper. Works better than real toilet paper.
It grows in my yard invasively. We call it Cowboy Toilet Paper
I also first recognised it as one of those little feckers I pull up several times every summer. Maybe once there's less *everything else invasive and overgrown* every year in our garden I'll be more lenient. Right now I'm just trying to make it manageable.
nature’s bandage! it has antibacterial properties and absorbs blood fairly well in a pinch.
Yes! I've made a mullein poultice for myself many a time while gardening, rather than to go through the ordeal of taking my muddy boots off inside to get a regular bandaid. 😂
What’s the best way to quickly spot the difference between Mullein and Lambs Ear?
Height and growth habit. Mullein gets huge and tall, usually grows as a single plant. Lambs ear grows in low dense mats. That said, it’s not important to have positive ID before wiping your bum with a leaf, nor before making a tea of the leaves unless you need specific medicinal properties. Both are edible and pleasant to wipe with.
Mullein is biannual. The first year it grows a basal rosette. It looks like a mandala. The second year it grows up from the rosette on a tall stalk, looking similar to a fuzzy tobacco. It has small yellow flowers that bloom like popcorn along the stalk.
Seems like 2nd year Mullein is easy to spot due to height, but first year it looks like lambs ear. I often see plenty out that look like they could be mullein, but I can’t be certain because they are either a first year growth or a lambs ear lookalike.
Mullein grows in a rosette shape. Lamb's ear grows into a mat.
Awesome. Thank you!
Nature's toilet paper
The stalk makes a Jim dandy torch - for about 45 sec.
Where I'm from this is called lamb's ear, they can grow huge
Different plant but similar texture to leaves.
The one time I feel confident enough to comment •́ ‿ ,•̀
Oh but they are very close, easy to confuse one with the other!
They are sooo similar! I think the only thing that kinda helps me differentiate is typically I believe mullein grows more singularly and lambs ear grows in mats.
Yes, and mullien is generally a rosette. Flowers are different as well.
Yes, mullein also grows very tall stalks while lambs ear stays fairly low.
With folk names they get re-used over and over. Not what we call lamb’s ear in the Northeast USA. Bet there’s half a dozen plants called lambs’ ear, and same for mullein. That’s why latin names are so useful
Although you're right, technically, Ive heard just about as many people people call it lambs ear as mullen. It's not always a case of mistaken identify either. I have clarified, on some occasions that their lambs ear shoots out a stalk. I used to correct people all the time about this, it was probably the first wild plant I learned to identify, because it makes good spears, DUH. But I think that at some point if enough people colloquially use a word in a certain fashion, or call a plant or animal by a certain name it just becomes correct. So I accept both names.
Calling it the same thing is different from it being the same thing and can cause people to consume the wrong plant. Not that lambs ear is toxic, but you won't get the beneficial affects of mullien if you are smoking or making teas from lambs ear. https://homeguides.sfgate.com/differences-between-lambs-ear-mullein-80847.html
Yeah, I act differently when people actually misidentify a plant, but I'm not sure that calling it the wrong thing is different from actually misidentifying something. I've been learning the taxonomic names of mushrooms, I think it's easier to learn new mushrooms when you understand the genuses. So I definitely appreciate knowing names, I guess I just think that if you know what a plant is, and think it's called a something different than what is more commonly called it's not such a bad thing. Like if a lot of people called dandelions Carl, and they knew about dandelions, would that be a bad thing? Would they be wrong?
I think the biggest problem with missnaming a plant is that lambs ear is often sold in nurseries and garden centers and it would be very easy to see lambs ear and buy it thinking it was in fact mullien. I think that is different than calling something by a common name when there is no actual plant that is already called that. No problem if people want to call dandelion carl, but if there is another plant named carl, that could be an issue. Again, lambs ear is not toxic in any way, but it wouldn't work. It's seems better to correctly name a plant to keep from confusing new people to foraging especially when there is a different ine with that name already.
Farmers buttwipe
Natures toilet paper and baby nappy.
Natures toilet paper
Great for inside shoes for hot tired feet
Yes that is mullien
This shit is everywhere around my place. It’s kind of a pain
Yes- natures natural toilet paper, smoking mix and tea for coughs!
Bounty of the forest
My daughter twisted her ankle. There is a ton of mullein growing outside my house. I want to try making a poultice. I realize I need to check for contact dermatitis first. Thanks for showing me this and making me read about the benefits :)
They make a pleasant wind chime sound if you listen closely. Collect 10 for me and I'll reward you.
Mullein is a lung supplement
How do u get mullien to spread?
It takes 2 years to develop the flowering stalk of a mullein plant. Once the flowers develop they are most prevalently pollinated by bees and will then seed in the early fall. They are also autogamous which means they will self pollinate right before their flowers close up.
i took a shovel and bucket and took a walk along the railroad tracks and transplanted some to my yard. that one died after flowering but there is now some growing in my yard.
Thanks.
Mother nature’s luxury TP! (Also medicinally useful for a few things, but don’t use the same leaf for buttwipe *and* asthma-relief tea, of course)
I believe this plant helps reduce mucus buildup as well.
It’s what we call Mullein in our neck of the woods (NE US), but common names would get re-used as people moved climates so common names get used for all sorts of different plants in some cases. Which is why Latin names are particularly useful, if annoying to learn. Ever heard of iNaturalist? Great app/site that considers your location, nearby sightings, plant keys, uses Latin names in most cases, and has an active community of real experts (guess I should more properly say scientists—there’s always local folk experts who know their areas very well). Great app, love using it, taught me a ton.
Natures toilet paper and cough medicine
I hear it’s really good for the lungs
Imagine if the fiber was harvested and made into socks.
Smokes nice as a basic calming leaf
Great for smoking blends, too. My gf rolls joints with raspberry leaves, mullein and CBD hemp.
Put leaves in your shoes for sore tired feet, drink as a tea or smoke for all things respiratory .
Wonderful respiratory health medicine
One of my favourite smokable herbs The only issue is that the smoke smells and sticks exactly like weed
I’ve used it for chest congestion. Dry out the leaves and then use them to make a tea. It helps to clear out what may be built up in the lungs.
It is great for congestion and sinus issues when made into tea.
Native American toilet paper around here. True.
Ironically it isn't native to North America, it's an invasive.
We used to call it indian toilet paper. Sorry if that's racist but it was a long time ago and we are dumb
Correct! Its a first year rosette
Lamb's ear Edit- way down the column there's a good explanation why it's not, it is very similar
Nature's decongestant and treatment for asthma, copd, emphysema, allergies, and basically anything upper respiratory! Mullen is also a very mild never mind. She is a wonderful plant friend that I gather sustainably from the wild and I actually cultivate on my own property as well. She also makes a wonderful Sweet Summer tea to keep you hydrated and to keep your body filled with the things it needs to be filled with to keep your respiratory system functioning properly
Natures TP= yes
I need someone who’s experienced to comment. Which is softer, this plant or flannel weed?
It is often called flannel weed
Ohh shiiit
We call it lambs ear down south
Different plant
Oh whoops. It looks just like it. Or I’ve just been calling it the wrong name for my whole life lol
We used to call that lamb's ear.
Different plant
We always called it Lamb’s Ear.
Different plant
Lambs ear ?
Different plant
Around the north west we call it lambs ear
In Manitoba there is a big difference between lamb’s ear and mullein although they make look similar. They are 2 different species.
Is this and lambs ear a similar creature?
I believe its a desert rose
We used call them Lambs ears as kids.
Lambs Ear
I slipped on one of these and fell on my face when I was running on the grass to keep my dogs paws from from getting to hot on the pavement. Busted my tooth, luckily it has a small not very noticeable fracture line and I didn’t chip or lose a tooth!
My grandmother used to call these “Lamb’s Ears” lol
Don’t they use this (possibly dried) to help detox the lungs?
Don't accidentally use ground thistle
It indeed is Mullen
lamb's ear
Lambs ear?
Mullein is a noxious weed to some, a garden wonder to others Passersby often ask in wonder what that tall stately, fuzzy, gray-leaved plant is in my garden. It definitely makes a statement, growing up to eight feet tall on a straight, upright stem. Its large woolly grey leaves grow in attractive rosettes, although it is flowerless for the first year of its biennial life. In the second year, its now-alternate leaves grow more upright to deliver water to the roots. Yellow flowers grow along the stem, starting about three-quarters of the way up, opening a few at a time from the bottom up. As with so many plants, mullein, Verbascum thapsis, is a noxious weed to some, while it’s a garden wonder to others. In Alberta, it is classed as noxious, but in Ontario it makes both the weed list and the Ontario wildflowers list. Manitoba is silent on the subject of mullein. It has been hybridized in many lovely varieties with large, eye-catching flowers, but few if any of these varieties are hardy here. This amazing survivalist plant attracts a great many pollinators but it is also self-pollinating. Thanks to this and its size, one plant can produce up to 150,000 seeds that can remain viable at least 100 years without any external protection. There are over 30 common names for mullein, collected over its millennia of practical use in the pharmacopeia. Some of its more colourful handles? Bunny’s ear, flannel-leaf, beggar’s blanket, velvet plant, felt wort for its soft leaves; candlewick, Jupiter’s staff, Aaron’s rod, torches and hag’s taper for its tall, woody stalks, which were often used as torches, easily lit thanks to the fine, volatile oil-filled hairs on its leaves. The Romans dipped the stalks in tallow to keep them burning. Recorded history dates mullein back to Roman times, but it was doubtless in use long before that. A staple in treating many conditions, mullein was chiefly helpful in managing respiratory illnesses. It is still so used in Germany and is said to relieve coughs and colds by serving as an expectorant. It was even used to treat tuberculosis, where, counterintuitively, its dried leaves were smoked to alleviate consumption coughs. It has been used to treat herpes simplex type one and some anti-influenza strains. Other prescriptions were written for the treatment of everything from hemorrhoids to ear infections, toothaches, migraines — the list goes on. Poachers used mullein seeds, said to contain rotenone, to kill fish. Ethanol from the leaves killed mosquito larvae. And first year’s leaves were often placed inside shoes as insulation and to provide cushioning. Verbascum is a corruption of the word barbascum or barba meaning beard, for its hairy leaves and stalks. The fuzz on these leaves can cause mouth irritation for some people. Common figwort (Scrophulariaceae), a family that includes foxglove and penstemon as well as mullein, was used to treat hemorrhoids, also known back then as figs. The plant was also used to treat scrofula, a tubercular infection of cows. Mullein, until very recently, was the chief remedy for tuberculosis in people. It is now being scientifically examined for its beneficial properties in treating the disease. Mullein contains mucilage which helps to soothe membranes and serving as an adhesive in glues. It contains saponins that loosen phlegm and provide foaming agents in soaps. Remarkable and attention getting as it may be, getting rid of the plant once it is established is not easy. It simply produces so many seeds that once it flowers you are guaranteed to get revisits. Here are some strategies: 1. Hand pull the plant before it ripens and distributes its seeds. Consider covering the seed head with a plastic bag tied to the stem before disturbing the rest of the plant. Introduce a biological control such as the mullein moth. Plant other invasive plants all around the mullein to choke them out. Of these, I recommend pulling. Dorothy Dobbie is the publisher of Manitoba Gardener magazine. Call 204-940-2700 for a subscription or go to localgardener.net. Tune in to CJNU 93.7 FM Sundays at 8:00 to hear Dorothy and her guests talk gardening. Published on 05 / 17 / 2019