As sweet as honey
Mullein (Verbascum thapsus, Aaron’s Rod or Ladies Foxglove) is a biennial member of the Scrophulariaceae family, growing in dry barren woodland in Europe and Asia. It is an attractive plant, attaining a height of 2m with long, soft, downy-spear shaped leaves, yielding butter-yellow flowers, two thirds the length of the very thick stem. The whole plant smells of honey. The generic name is from the Latin, ‘barbascum’, meaning bearded and the common name from the French, ‘mollis’, soft.
Roman physicians used the leaves as a relief from haemorrhoids and the matrons used the yellow flowers as a hair dye. Gerard the medieval physician goes a step further: ‘steep the flowers in oil and warm dung, to be a remedy for piles’. Culpeper found many uses for the herb, one of which is still in use today: ‘the juice of the leaves and flowers being laid upon rough warts, doth easily take them away, but doth no good to smooth ones.’
Mullein contains rutin, hesperidin, saponins and a volatile oil, which is made from the seeds. This makes it anti-tussive, antispasmodic, sedative, diuretic, vulnerary, demulcent and a soothing remedy for irritable respiratory conditions. This means the plant will be useful in the treatment and relief of asthma, emphysema, tracheitis, wet pleurisy and bronchitis. The oil is topically applied in cases of wounds, ulcers and itching piles, eczema inflammations, chilblains and chapped skin. Some claims are made for the efficacy of the oil in the treatment of hay-fever.
In the l9th century a treatment for tuberculosis was established among the Irish peasantry by a Dr. Quinlan, who boiled a handful of leaves in two pints of milk, which he strained and sweetened with honey. He then administered this twice daily until the coughing ceased, weight increased and vitality was restored. Recent research confirms the anti-tubercular activity in the plant’s compounds. Homeopaths use a tincture from mullein to treat migraine, and earache.
Mullein is commonly found in herbal smoking mixtures and it said that the leaf smoke will revive the unconscious; obviously useful in the lecture hall.
The leaves were used to wrap and preserve figs and as emergency bandages and the whole stem with flowers would be dipped in tallow and used as torches.
These plants can be found in Cyprus and will make a very attractive deep-bed plant, but be aware, it is mildly toxic.
