Mullein, also called Great Mullein, is a tall-growing biennial in the
figwort family that is distributed throughout Europe, Australia, Asia,
North Africa and the Americas. It's a common sight in late summer in
open pastures and along roadways in the eastern US, often finding a
perch between rocks and in gravel. The plant is easy to recognize—the
fuzzy leaves emerge from a center rosette to form a stalk several feet
high, from which bright yellow, slipper-like flowers appear.
While the flowers are typically infused in oil or used to produce a
natural dye, the collective aerial parts of the plant are tinctured,
infused or prepared as tea. Mullein also makes an excellent cosmetic
herb because it contains astringent and emollient compounds.
