Mullein - Verbascum thapsus

Other Names:
	V. thapsus	V. densiflorum Bertol., V. Thapsiforme, V. Thapsus
	Aaron's Rod, Adam's Flannel, Beggar's Blanket, Beggar's Stalk, Big Taper, Blanket Herb, Bullock's Lungwort, Candlewick Plant, Clot, Clown's Lungwort, Common Mullein, Cow's Lungwort, Cuddy's Lungs, Donkey's Ears, Duffle, Feltwort, Flannel Mullein, Flannel Plant, Fluffweed, Golden Rod, Great Mullein, Hag's Taper, Hare's Beard, Hedge Taper, Jacob's Staff, Jupiter's Staff, Lady's Foxglove, Mullein Dock, Old Man's Flannel, Our Lady's Flannel, Peter's Staff, Rag Paper, Shepherd's Clubs, Shepherd's Staff, Torches, Velvet Dock, Velvet Plant, White Mullein, Wild Ice, Wild Ice Leaf, Witch's-Stick, Woollen, Woolly Mullein	Dense-flowered Mullein, High-taper, Torch-weed, Verbascum
	Le bouillon blanc,  Molène bouillon blanc, Bouillon mâle, Bonhomme, Cierge de notre Dame, Herbe de St-Fiacre.	Molène à fleurs denses, Bonhomme, Bouillon blanc, Molène
	Koningskaars	Stalkaars
	ostaza, apobelarr, aphobelharr, apolili
	cua de guilla, cua de moltó, candelera, blenera, tripó, gamó, jovenal, croca, Ploraner
	Divizna	Divizna sápovitá
	Filtbladet Kongelys, Filtet Kongelys	Uldbladet Kongelys, Storblomstret Kongelys
	Kleinblütige Königskerze, Kleinblütiger Königskerze, Kleinblütiges Wollkraut, Fackelblume, Fackelkraut	Dichtblütiges Wollkraut, Grossblütige Königskerze, Grossblütiges Wollkraut, Kleinblütige Königskerze, Königskerze, Wollblume, Wollkraut
	Ukontulikukka (to be confirmed - Hammasruoho, hepohiera, härkäheinä, hökäheinä, kissankynttilä, kynttiläheinä, köhkäheinä, köhäheinä, köhäruoho, köyhäntupakki, löylylehti, madontupakka, metsän-ämmänkenkä, metsätupakka, peitsiruoho, röhköruoho, sikaruoho, ukontupakka, valkenlehti, yhdeksänväkinen, yskäheinä)	Akantulikukka
	Verbasco	Verbasco falso barbasso
	Biroudo Mouzuika ( びろうどもうずいか)("Velvet hairy-stamened flower")
	Filtkongslys	Prydkongslys
	Dziewanna, Dziewanna drobnokwiatowa	Dziewanna wielkokwiatowa
	verbasco, barbasco, verbasco branco, erva de Sao Fiacre, bom homem, vela de Nossa Senhora, seoane
	Коровяк, коровяк густоцветковый, коровяк крупноцветковый, коровяк шерстистый, златоцвет, огонь-трава
	Gordolobo, guardalobo, engordalobo, gordolobo blanco macho (from romance codalobo, m.Lat cauda lupi), verbasco candelaria, candela regia, hopo de zorra, friegaplatos, turciburci.
	Kungsljus, vanligt kungsljus	Ölandskungsljus
Notes

Botanical: 

Taxonomy: Family: Scrophulariaceae (Figworts)

Habit: Naturalized biennial. First year plant is a small rosette of fuzzy leaves; the characteristic candle-stick forms in the second year. Prefers sunny waste ground, does not mind dry conditions.
Propagation: Do not bother; it will propagate itself very nicely, thank you!
Harvesting:  Harvest when in flower, dry for later use.

Composition: 

Distribution: Eurasian native, naturalized though the Western Hemisphere - considered a noxious weed in some states & provinces. Very abundant in North-Eastern North America

Habitat: Sunny positions in uncultivated fields and waste ground, especially on dry soils.

Uses:

Culinary: 

• Preserving:  

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Spiritual

• (European traditions): Believed to be useful in keeping evil at bay
• Properties: Correspondences: 
  
• (North American Aboriginal traditions): 
  • The Isleta nation used it as a ceremonial tobacco. Thompson used it in the sweat lodge (and also smoked it). The Atsugewi also used it in sweats, rubbing crushed leaves over the body.
  • The Hopi smoked a  compound - likely with onosmodium  as cure for persons "with power to charm", as well as "fits," craziness and witchcraft ^{(Whiting 1939)}

  • The Navajo similarly smoked leaves in corn husk "to clear the mind if lost."^{(Vestal 1952)}

     

• (Eastern traditions): Considered a safeguard from evil spirits and magic

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Cosmetic/Aromatic:  

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Medicinal

• (European traditions): Leaves & flowers - relaxing expectorant, demulcent, mild laxative, mild diuretic, emollient, vulnerary, mild sedative.  It acts by reducing the formation of mucus and stimulating the coughing up of phlegm. Most frequently used for breathing & chest complaints (both as an infusion and smoked) Infusion also used for diarrhoea. Smoked plant and seeds purportedly have narcotic effect, described by some as somewhat similar in effect to Cannabis. Externally, poultices of leaves have been used to heal wounds as well as ulcers, tumours and piles - but note the Cautions!!  The external uses or references to them may be caused by confusion with Stachys byzantina - Lamb's Ear, or woolly hedgenettle, which looks superficially similar to a first-year V. thapsus - S. byzantina is much better suited as a dressing.
• (North American Aboriginal traditions): Very widely used; undetermined at this time which uses were pre-contact, though there is some indication that some uses at least were passed from First Nations to Europeans in Nova Scotia. More widespread uses are as
  • Analgesic by the Catawba, Cherokee, and Delaware nations,
  • Cold Remedy by the Atsugewi, Delaware, Mohegan, Shinnecock, and Thompson (usueally as decoction or infusion)
  • Cough Medicine by the Cherokee, Creek, Delaware, Mohegan, and Thompson as a decoction or infusion, and smoked for this purpose by the Navajo
  •  A Respiratory Aid - The Delaware and  Iroquois used a compound decoction, while the Iroquois, Malecite, Mohegan, Penobscot, and Potawatomi smoked or smudged it for this purpose.  Also used as such by the Micmac, although the mechanism of use is unknown to me at this time.
  • A Dermatological Aid by the Atsugewi, Catawba, Cherokee, Iroquois, Malecite, Micmac, and Delaware, who used it either in poultices or whole leaves for a wide variety skin complaints and minor injuries. The Iroquois and Rappahannock used plant decoctions for the purpose, while the Thompson rubbed plant juice on warts.  The Zuni appear to have been unique in using root infusions and poultices, for similar purposes ^{(Camazine & Bye 1980)}.
  • A Febrifuge by the Iroquois (decoction), Nanticoke (poultice of leaves in vinegar bound to neck, head, wrists and feet), and Navajo (smoked)
  • An interesting use is as a Toothache Remedy - while the Iroquois used a poultice applied to the face, the Abnaki used roots to make a magical necklace worn by teething babies and children ^{(Rousseau 1947)}.  

Other

Smoked by the Isleta, Menominee, and Thompson  nations.

Dipped in tallow, mature stalks were used as torches in ancient times.  Also used as candle wicking before the introduction of cotton. (hence the many references to torch & candle in plant names)

Said to be the plant which Ulysses took to protect himself from Circe.

Entymology

• Verbascum is said to be a corruption of barbascum - bearded; 
• Some legends claim the the plant was traditionally used by witches - hence 'Witch's-Stick,' and 'Hag's Taper' though this may derive from the Anglo-Saxon Haege - hedge - which is also found in the form 'Hedge Taper' 

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CAUTIONS: The small hairs on the leaves can be an irritant - any internal applications & poultices must be carefully strained/filtered to insure these are not ingested.

 

Complete ethnobotanical notes and references available on request

Last edited 18 February 2002