#MULLIEN Verbascum Thapsus# Start: I found this beautiful, tall flowering plant up a path from my field towards the forest. I first noticed it growing last year, in its first season, when I spotted a rosette of large, grey green , soft, hairy leaves. So soft to the touch, like rabbit ears. I have been waiting and watching it grow to its magnificent height. Now the yellow flowers are just beginning to open up along its flowering spike. Ones of its many old names is the candlewick plant. This is not just due to its shape but more to do with the down on its leaves and stem making an excellent tinder when dry, readily igniting on the slightest spark. It was used for lamp wicks before the introduction of cotton. Mullien is said to be under the influence of Saturn, having a cold temperament and belonging to the earth humour. It grows in dry places and its leaves are arranged so as to guide rain water towards its roots. Constituents: mucilage, flavonoids such as verbascoside, hesperidin,glycosides, saponins, volatile oil and tannins. Parts used: Flowers and leaves Actions: expectorant, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, vulnerary. Uses: Mullien is used for chest complaints like bronchitis, catarrh, whooping cough, asthma, emphysema, wet pleurisy and hoarseness. Mullien flowers have a broad balancing effect on pulmonary function. Saponins have an effect on the respiratory system; a stimulating expectoration brought about by reflex stimulation of the stomach wall. It is an emetic-expectorant with saponin constituent. Taken in sub-emetic doses, the emetic action is sublimated to a reflex-stimulating expectoration. The leaves can be applied fresh to piles or the oil can be applied as an emollient to wounds, ulcers or piles. The flowers macerated in olive oil for several days make an excellent remedy for ear ache and eczema of the outer ear. Harvest the leaves before the plant flowers and harvest the flowers individually. The leaves and flowers can be dried. When using the leaves as a tea make sure that the tea is filtered well to avoid the little hairs causing irritation. Straining through a muslin cloth and coffee filter paper helps. Doses; 50g dried herb to 500ml water, infuse 15 minutes drinking 1/2 to 1 cup three times a day. End: