Description

Botanical name:Verbascum thapsus

Origin: Eastern Europe

soft leaf, sturdy flower stalks

Mullein, also known as Velvet Dock, is an annual wayside herb that seems to spring up where nothing else can take hold, even gaining a foothold between rocks and patches of concrete. Reaching a height of up to 8 feet, mullein is easily recognizable in the wild by the simple fact that it towers over most of its botanical neighbors. The plant also produces large, fuzzy leaves that resemble dried tobacco by the end of the growing season, and spikes of yellow flowers in mid-summer. Because mullein is very high in mucilage, the herb is traditionally used to make throat lozenges and syrups. It is also added to teas, used to produce skin care formulas or is tinctured.