Mullein

Identity

Common Name

Mullein

Scientific Name

Verbascum thapsus

Botanical Family

Scrophulariaceae

Native Region

Europe, Asia, North Africa (naturalized in Americas)

Cultivation Regions

Temperate regions worldwide

Plant Parts Used

Leaves, Flowers

Synonyms

Great Mullein, Candlewick, Lungwort

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

A biennial forming a basal rosette of large, thick, soft grey-green velvety leaves in the first year, and in the second a tall (1–2 m) spike of small yellow flowers. The leaves and flowers are used.

Historical Background

Mullein has been a European respiratory herb since antiquity — used for coughs, asthma, and chest complaints, and as 'candlewick' (the felted leaves and dried stalks). It reached North America with colonists and was widely adopted for cough and ear oils.

Earliest recorded uses: Dioscorides; European folk medicine for chest and skin complaints.

Cultural significance: Mullein's tall flower stalks were dipped in tallow as torches and its felted leaves as lamp wicks and shoe insoles — a plant of the hearth and the chest in equal measure.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Faint, sweet, herbaceous

Tea Information

Research Summary

Mullein has a long respiratory tradition but very limited clinical evidence; most support comes from traditional use and in vitro observations. It is not a treatment for asthma, infection, or chronic lung disease.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources