Mullein

Verbascum thapsus

Medieval Europeans dipped this plant in suet and used as a torch.   The leaves make a mild flavored tea, which is soothing to the throat during the winter cold season.  Science has confirmed mild expectorant and antiviral activity of mullein.  The plant also contains verbascoside, which has antiseptic, antitumor, antibacterial, and immunosuppressant activity.  Boy Scouts and other avid campers sometimes know this plant as “toilet paper plant,” because of its large, soft, furry leaves.

Family:  Scrophulariaceae/Figwort
Life cycle:  Biennial, Zones 3-9
Native:  Europe, naturalized in N. America
Height:  1-8 feet.
Sun:  Full sun
Soil:  Well drained soil, but does better with moderate water. pH 6.5-7. Doesn’t require much fertility.
Water:  Low to moderate
Flowers:  Flowering does not occur until the second year.  The flowers are a spike or spikelike panicle with small yellow flowers along the upper portion of the stalk will bloom  in mid- to late summer.
Propagation:  Sow seed directly in the field or start indoors for better germination rate.  Seed is very small so do not cover with soil.  Germination occurs in about 2 weeks, at a rate of around 80 percent.  Space 15 inches apart in the row, mullein takes up a lot of space because of the size of the lower leaves. 
Harvest: Leaves can be harvested by hand any time, preferably in the late spring or early summer when in bloom.  For the largest crop, leaves would be harvested in the fall of the first year or the spring of the second year, as quality deteriorates after that.  The lower leaves may need to be discarded, as they may be covered with dust, and have more insect and wind damage than the middle and upper leaves.The roots are harvested with a needle nose spade in the fall of the first year growth or in the spring of the second years growth. Flowers can be harvested individually or by cutting a stalk in heavy flower/bud stage.  Lay on screens to dry in a shady location or in forced air oven.  Make sure to dry leaves long enough, as we’ve had some mold in the bags after we thought they were dry.
Parts used:  Flowers, leaves and roots.  Fresh or dried.  Most of the market seems to be for leaves.  One source recommends growing V. olympicum for flower harvest, as they are easier to pick.
Used as:  Tincture, infusion, syrup, ointment, salve, cream, balm, infused oil.
Medicinal benefits:  Flowers and leaves are used for skin, ears, and the respiratory tract.  The roots are used for the urinary tract.  Approved for use in Europe for cough and bronchitis.  The plant contains up to 3% mucilage, in addition to saponins, flavonoids, and other biologically active compounds.  The mullein alleviates irritation and has an expectorant effect due to its mucin and saponin content.  The flowers are infused in olive oil over a period of weeks, which is then used traditonally for earache, eczema of the auditory anal, middle ear infection and inflammatory skin diseases.
Market potential:  Moderate for leaves, to high for flowers.  Prices range from $3.50 - $20.43 for leaves.  No prices found for flowers or roots.  Flowers are often sold fresh, not dried.

KSU Field Trial Data - 2000-2002.  

Summary of field trial data: Mullein does very well under Kansas growing conditions, and is seen growing in healthy stands near roadsides, ditches, river banks, and other non-mowed areas.  The growing condition mullein  does not appear to like is too much mulch, especially if the mulch is applied over the top of the plant, or gets into the inner whorl, as we saw in one set of plots where we applied wood chip mulch as weed control.  Many of the whorls began to rot from the center, and the plants in general did not do well if there was too much water retention close to the base of the plant.  The optimal time to harvest leaves seems to be in the fall of the first year.  In the second year, the plant begins to put its energy into the flower stalk, and the leaves were much smaller.  This would be a good crop to grow in Kansas, as long as there is enough of a market for the leaves.  The flowers would be very labor intensive to harvest, and might be good for a market to local herbalists, or for home use.  This is a lovely plant for the home garden, and some seed sources seemed to grow exceptionally large plants, with multiple flower stems, which would be very impressive in the backyard garden.  We don’t recommend harvesting this plant from wild stands along roadsides, as they may be contaminated with road dust, car fumes, and other environmental pollutants.