Friday, January 27, 2012

Mullien - Verbascum Thapsus


As the crazy weather of January fluxes [we've had 60*F days then to 17*F here in SE MO] I find comfort in the promise of spring and all that God offers in nature to please, ease and comfort our ails.

I found these photos from a day of wildcrafting I did last summer. I was so busy that I didn't make time for a veggie garden like I always do; I felt quite like something was missing, for sure. The most I really did with plants was wildcrafted, so I'll tell you a bit about that.


Here we have a wild Mullien plant. The leaves are large and very fuzzy. The lower leaves get very broad and I've been told that Pioneers used them as diapers long ago! It certainly would be a great choice for a possibly sore, damp, baby bum when we take a look at it's medical properties.

Medical Properties: Demulcent, Emollient, Vulnerary, Analgesic, Anti-Inflammatory, Astringent, Anti-catarrhal, Expectorant, Diuretic.




These photos are pretty early in the growing season for this plant, by the end of summer the center has grown 4'-6' tall in one slender spike and will have clusters of yellow blooms along the top 1-2 feet of the spike.


This shows the leaves after washing, cutting and laying them out to dry before I use them. I will post again soon to tell you about some suggested uses for Mullien herb.




*This is intended for infromational use only, these statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. It is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.