Photo Credit: Fred Krampetz, USFWS

Common mullein is a biennial forb belonging to the Figwort family, Scrophulariaceae.

• It tends to grow six inches tall with a coarse, wooly, partially woody stem connected to a strong taproot.
• Leaves are large, alternate, overlapping bottom leaves at the base and small leaves towards the top.
• Inflorescence (flowering part of the plant) is a two inch tall spike of yellow flowers.
• Five petal flowers have a wooly calyx, called the sepals.
• Fruit is two chambered ovary with small brownish seeds.
• Seeds contain coumarin and rotenone. Both are known to be toxic if eaten.
• Tends to grow on roadsides, disturbed areas in sandy, loamy soils.

In Appalachia, a tea was made from the leaves to treat common colds, in other parts of the world the same drink was used to treat dysentery. The flower contains oil that was used to treat earaches. The leaves used for local applications on hemorrhoids, sunburn and skin inflammations. It is not a palatable plant among stock due to the wooliness.

Common mullein originated from Europe. Europeans have used the leaves for medicinal purposes including smoking the dried leaves for relief of bronchitis. American Indians also smoked the leaves and roots for the same purposes. The yellow flowers were used as a dye to dye hair in the Fourth and Fifth Century B.C. Other Indian tribes smoked the leaves for asthma, sore throat and boiled the roots to give to children with croup.

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Last Updated: 2/9/09

Plants that do not grow naturally on this short grass prairie are called "invasive species."

INFORMATION from US Fish & Wildlife

INFORMATION from USGS

ANNUAL RYE
CANADA THISTLE
CHEAT GRASS
FIELD BINDWEED
KOCHIA
COMMON MULLEIN
MUSK THISTLE
RUSSIAN KNAPWEED
RUSSIAN OLIVE
RUSSIAN THISTLE

VOLUNTEER WEED MAPPING
PROGRAM