# Using Mullein and other herbs (disclaimer in post 1, please read)



## redtailgal (Apr 4, 2012)

*Edited to add:  This thread started out just about mullein, but has morphed into a general herb discussion.  It is VERY dangerous to use ANY herb, ingested, inhaled, vaporized, or topically without first making a POSiTIVE identification of that herb.  Also keep in mind, that not all parts of every herb can be used the same way, the leaves may be fine, but the flower may have a lethal effect.  Also, with some herbs the TIME OF YEAR that the plant is harvested should be considered, and the method of preparing herbs can also have serious effects on the potency.  NEVER inhale, vapor, use topically or ingest any unknown plant without proper research and verification on all aspects: plant identification, plant part, time of year, how to prepare and how to administer.  Just because its "natural" does not mean its safe.
*



Various images of this plant:

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikiped...ense-flowered_mullein'_2007-06-02_(plant).jpg

http://www.minnesotawildflowers.info/udata/r9ndp23q/yellow/common-mullein-0811_115338.jpg

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qn1ukk0oo9o/TxLMB2L459I/AAAAAAAAAlQ/5WFDofcmkjo/s1600/Mullein_02.jpg



Mullein:

This plant often grows wild, but can be cultivated.  You will find it in sunny dry places, and in rocky areas along the edge of wooded areas, and  in rocky fields.

Another name for it is Hag's Cone.  During a rather pathetic point in our nations history, use of this plant was proof that a person was a witch and resulted in their death.  Let me assure you that once I get my coffee in the mornings, I am not a witch.

Dont pick leaves that have grown within 10 feet of a road.  ONLY pick from plants that have a straight flower stalk.  Plants with bent stalks normally have  higher chemical contamination.

To dry the leaves, simply pull them off the plant (dont pull more than 1/3 of the leaves at once, and only pull from a mature plant that is at least 4 inches tall).  Give them a day or so to dry in a warm window sill, them put them in a sack and crush them to a coarse power.  Pick the flowers, allow them to dry the same way.

Uses:

Wounds, rashes,sunburn:
Fresh leaves, and dried leaves that have been moistend can be placed on a sunburn, rash or wound for soothing and antiseptic qualities. (this is exceptionally nice if you can grow some fresh aloe.  Put a whole aloe leaf in the blender and make a slurry to rub on the skin, put the leaf on top and let it sit for about half an hour)

Gout/arthritis/sprains:
crushed leaves and 2-3 flowers  mixed with olive oil, about a tablespoon per 3-4 ounces of oil.  Rub it into the sore area (add some aloe too if you want) ****I like to warm the oil slightly by putting the jar into some warm water for a few minutes.  Helps with swelling and inflammation 

Earmites
use the same crushed leaf/oil mixture as above, without aloe and without warming,  use a cotton swab to cleanse the ear with the oil, continue until the ear is clean, then apply a "top coat" (not heavy)

Painful ear
use 2-3 flowers that have just wilted (2-3 hours after picking) place them in olive oil and allow them to steep for several days (make before the earache comes)  1-2 drops twice a day to ease pain, antiseptic quality, ease inflammation

Foot soaks (critters and humans.....injury, aches, toenail fungus etc)
add a small handful of the crushed leaves to a foot soak.  antiseptic, helps with inflammation

Asthma, difficulty breathing (critters and humans).......
place into boiling water the following.......about 2 tsp crushed leaves, the peel of an orange or lemon, a peppermint candy, a couple eucalypti leaves (if you have them.  I grow my own and dry them, dont use decorative eucalyptis ) * THIS IS NOT A DRINK*......just sit near (or place it near the critter) and breath the fumes.  **I usually add a little rosemary and lavendar from the garden as well.  It smells NICE.  It will moisten and open airways, and sooth a cough.

Fresh flowers can be use on wounds immediately after the injury to help clean it.  

The roots of the plant can also be used in the above....dry and crush them, use half the amount (2 tsp crushed leaves= 1 tsp crushed root).  Dont harvest roots until the end of summer, so that the plant can seed first.


Feverblisters/cold sores

take a tea bag and open the top.  pour out half the tea in the bag, replace it with crushed leaves and run it under hot water. Place it on the area until the bag is cool to the touch every 3-4 hours to heal the sore.  If you catch it early, at the "tingle" phase, apply twice a day to prevent.


***mullien can be taken internally for may different problems.  I have used it successfully for urinary weakness after childbirth, and to help with the discomfort of bladder infections.  It can also be made into a wonderful cough syrup.  I wont give directions on how to make these formulas, but there is much info online about them.

You can buy seed here:


http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/seeds/seeds.php

and bulk leaf here:

http://www.mountainroseherbs.com/seeds/seeds.php

Once you plant the seed and get a start, it will grow readily so you wont need to reorder.


*other things in my medical garden:  lavendar, rosemary, eucalyptis, spotted touch me not, yarrow, passionflower, parsley, lemon balm, various mints, comfrey, cilantro, dandelion, marshmallow, aloe, basil, oregano, and I have several "spots" in the woods that I can go harvest when I need too.


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## autumnprairie (Apr 4, 2012)

a few others you may want to add are calendula, comfrey, arnica montana, nettle i use in my salves
parsley, for a kidney cleanser ( make a tea )


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## redtailgal (Apr 4, 2012)

Yes, some folks use those, but I was only listing ones that I grow myself.


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## autumnprairie (Apr 4, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> Yes, some folks use those, but I was only listing ones that I grow myself.


 sorry I love talking herbs and such I am going to have to pick your brain one day


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## redtailgal (Apr 4, 2012)

autumnprairie said:
			
		

> redtailgal said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Well, hun, THAT would be a quick conversation!  lol

Pick away.......


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## goatingone (May 1, 2012)

Allrighty, then!  Just remember, *you* left that door open! 

We love talking herbs around our homestead.  We grow a lot of plantain, both Plantago major and Plantago lanceolata.  Truth to tell, we began using Plantago major as our 'goto first' because that was the one we were most familiar with, knew the name and could easily identify it.  Plus, it was much more prolific.  I have read that the lanceolata is more powerful medicinally, (that's hard to imagine!) but then I have also read that Plantago major is the more powerful plantain.  

We also have a few mullein plants growing around here, we weed around the medicinally valuable weeds we know.   This year we're going to see if we can get a whole bed of mullein growing. 

Our ToGrowList is very similar to yours, though my marshmallow came up and damped off.  *Then* I noticed a comment on an herbal group that marshmallow doesn't like bottom heat.  Well, duh!  Of course that's exactly where I had placed it, on the germination heat mat!

Oh, and now I think of it, is this the place to reply or did 'we' start a new thread somewhere else on this forum?  We also love to talk herbs!  Is anyone here pursuing a certificate of any kind related to the study of herbs?  If so, where and how did you come to select that particular curriculum offering?


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## redtailgal (May 1, 2012)

You can start a new thread if you wish, or we can make this one an all encompassing herb thread.  I'll adjust the title to say "using Mullein and other herbs".

What sort of dirt are you using for your Marshmallow?  I've found that mine REALLY REALLY likes it when I use "woods dirt" from near some pine trees.........the good dark organically rich dirt.
From time to time, I dig up a little bit and mulch around some of my plants with it (I dont like using fertilizer too much).  It really doesnt take heat well, so I plant mine in a pretty cool spot off in the woods a little.  Also, it burns easily, so make sure not to water it during a hot part of the day.  The leaves shrivel up to nothing once that water gets warm.

I'm very partial to my mints.  I'm not much of a hot tea drinker, but when I do, it's nice to drop a leaf or two in the cup.  I also like to add mints to my salad on occasion.  AND, dont laugh, I've been known to grab a handful of lavender and some lemon mint to throw in my bathwater, cus it makes me smell good, lol.

Plantain......a fav of my hubby.  Handling it gives me somewhat of a rash, so I tend to stay away from it.

As for training, I have none.  I go by what my grandmothers have taught me......one was a poor dirt farmer/cotton mill worker and the other is Cherokee indian.  They both had to use a lot of herbal remedies as they grew up as neither could afford traditional medical care.


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## goatingone (May 1, 2012)

Cherokee, hmm?  

If you like mints, try tossing a handful of mint on meat as it roasts in the oven, and don't forget some garlic! 

Plantain gives you a rash???  Are you sure you it's plantain that does that?? Both kinds of plantain?  Plantain is edible, you know, tastes like spinach.  I've heard.  I reserve it for medicinal use, so far.   However, another herb that I tried for the first time this spring, chickweed, for sure had a light, delicate spinach like flavor with a texture such as sprouts.  Of course it could also have had something to do with the ground it grew in, so I will have to try some from my own garden ---soons I can get the ducks and chickens evicted.  I'm going to have to ask around to see if anyone else is getting a rash from plantain.


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## redtailgal (May 1, 2012)

It's most definately plantain........I break out and itch.  I've heard that its tasty, but if touchy it makes me have a reaction, I wont eat it, lol.  

Yes, Cherokee.  My father is a fullblood of the eastern band.  Bear clan, maternal side (as tradition goes). Osiyo. Tohitsu?

I've cooked alot of venison with various mints, as well as chicken. Sometimes, I'll seep my tea in some of my mints (particularly the lemon mint).  My chocolate mint dries nicely and add a wonderful warmness to potpourri and is also very good when added to creamy desserts.  I sort of "collect" mints, and have a favorite use for each one. 

You want to grow chickweed.....  I'm sick of pulling it!  It's taken over my yard, it is AWFUL.  But, I know that I'll never starve, lol.

If you can get ahold of some wood sorrel, you should try it in a fresh salad, esp with spinach.  It has a light lemony taste that adds a kick of just plain freshness to a salad.

Oh.......do you have sumac around you?  The berries make a wonderful rasberryish-lemonade type beverage when steeped like tea.  It's an excellent drink to have when you are having a bladder or kidney infection,  or are retaining fluid (esp curing a womans menstrual cycle).  

I also found me some ginger root last week!  Grandmother would often give me ground ginger root as a child for an upset tummy or for a mouth sore.  I'll wet root it a little (prolly in the creek this summer) and then plant it this fall.  Hopefully in a year or so, I'll have a good stand.  Fresh Ginger!!!!


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## elevan (May 1, 2012)

I love wood sorrel.  Delicious.  Very refreshing to chew a few leaves of it when you're out and about, it makes a nice substitute for gum that way.


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## redtailgal (May 2, 2012)

Have any of you ever eaten daylily blooms?

They are pretty good.  Pick them before they bloom, in the bud stage for the mildest flavor.  Season the buds and cook them like green beans.  The flowers can be fried into fritters, but I dont care for them this way.

If you do cook the buds, just boil them gently, and save the water they were boiled in......its rich in nutrients, makes a good soup base or gravy start.  It is esp helpful with a cold, and for urinary infections.

And dont forget wild carrot........how many of you have wild carrot around?  It is excellent to add to a stew or soup (again save the water and reuse it).



And, just for an added note....Its started to get that time of year when the bugs come out to haul us away and gnaw on our legs.  I'm pretty sensitive to bug repellent, so I've switched to cedar trees.  I'll take a few sprigs and rub them on my arms and legs, then twist a few sprigs together to make a bracelet and anklet.  If I am feeling REALLY fashionable, I'll braid a quick necklace as well or work a sprig into one of my hair braids.    I smell purty, look just FABULOUS rolleyes: ) AND I dont have bug bites, lol.  Many of your pine trees will work for this, but cedar seems to be the most effective for me.


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## Mamaboid (May 2, 2012)

I am finding this thread really interesting reading.  I would love to learn more, and am looking for good sites to identify plants and herbs.  Any suggestions other than what I can find by google search?


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## redtailgal (May 2, 2012)

I'm hoping that someone is gonna chime in with a answer to your question.

I grew up knowing most of these plants, and my  hubby is also a plant lover, so we dont have to search to ID much.


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## elevan (May 2, 2012)

Mamaboid said:
			
		

> I am finding this thread really interesting reading.  I would love to learn more, and am looking for good sites to identify plants and herbs.  Any suggestions other than what I can find by google search?


As well as having several books on the subject, I use these 2 resources frequently.

I like this website for identification .  They have good pics and good information.

I also like this YouTube series .

eta:  Your local extension agent can also help you identify what is on your property.


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## redtailgal (May 2, 2012)

Thanks for those links Elevan......I bookmarked them, they had some nice info.

Look at the Jewelweed (touch me not)....it is absolutely FABULOUS for poison ivy.

Passionflower.  My FAVORITE flower.  It's tasty and it is relaxing.  and um, it does contain some aphrodisiac qualities (nuff said, lol), the fruit makes a yummy syrup or even a jelly if you cook it long enough or add it to strawberries  

Word of warning though:  If you ever plant a passion flower vine, be prepared for war.  They are incredibly hardy and OHMIGOSHWOW invasive.  Plant one and next year you will have 50.

Do any of you grow prickly pear cactus and use it?  I've got a start going, but am not harvesting off them yet.


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## elevan (May 2, 2012)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> Look at the Jewelweed (touch me not)....it is absolutely FABULOUS for poison ivy.


Yes, wonderful plant that jewelweed.  It grows wild here and is all over the place.


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