Bold and beautiful...mullein does not disappoint! This towering herb is a statement piece in our garden. Its fuzzy leaves and gorgeous golden flower spike will grab your attention and make both you and the bees smile. (Verbascum thapsus) Why We Love It Here are some of the reasons why we love Mullein... 1) POWERFUL MEDICINE - Mullein is famous for clearing ear infections. Its also great for spasmodic coughs, viral infections, swollen lymph glands, and bronchitis. 2) FUSS-FREE- Mullein pretty much grows itself. All of this amazing and literally no effort from you at all. Just give it plenty of sun and stand back and watch the magic happen. 3) FERTILITY - Mullein's large, fuzzy leaves can be chopped and dropped as a fertilizer, just like comfrey. We chop and spread mullein leaves all over our hugelkultur berms (if this is a new term to you, google it. They're awesome!) How to Grow It Here's how to grow Mullein: SUN FULL SUN MOISTURE REGULAR GROWING ZONES USDA 3-9 (Not sure? Find your growing zone here) SIZE 7 FEET TALL & 1 FOOT WIDE GROWING Indoor start in flats 4-6 weeks before last frost. Tamp down on well draining seedling mix, do not cover and water in. Germ in 14-21 days. Light aids germination. Outdoor: After last frost date choose a sunny spot sprinkle seeds on surface and water in. Thin plants to 2-3ft spacing, they will grow leaves first year and flower in the second year. PRO TIP: Mullein is a biennial. It grows a rosette of fuzzy leaves year one and in year 2, it will send up its large flower stock. After it flowers, it will die, but it readily self-seeds itself. Winter Sowing is the easiest way to start these seeds. Here's a seed-starting tutorial for you. You won't believe how easy it is! How to Harvest & Use It Mullein leaves can be harvested anytime, but are often harvested in their first year of growth. The flowers are best harvested in the summer. Here's a wonderful video from the Herbal Jedi about mullein:
