Table of Contents
I harvest from first year plants, or early second year plants before they start to shoot up. While this is ideal, with Mullein the quality of the herb will be workable as long as the plants are healthy. They can be harvested any time, all season from spring up to flowering.
How do you know when to pick mullein?
When to Harvest Choose the freshest cleanest leaves; leave behind any that are yellowed, browned, or dried. The root is usually harvested from first year plants, or second year plants early in the season before flowering – this is where you want to be certain you’re harvesting mullein.
How do you harvest and dry mullein leaves?
Open a window or turn on a fan to provide air flow around the leaves and speed up the drying process. Dry the leaves for three days. Turn over each leaf and dry them for an additional three days. Spread the mullein leaves out on a drying screen.
How do you harvest and use mullein?
The most sustainable way to forage for and harvest mullein is to find the fuzzy leaves in the spring time and harvest them before the flower stalk starts to shoot up when the weather gets very warm. While you can still harvest the leaves from the stalk once it matures, it’s best to use tender, young leaves.
Can you eat fresh mullein leaves?
Mullein leaves should be fresh and young for use in teas and decoctions. Harvest anytime during the growing season, which lasts from spring to late summer, but pick only the smallest new leaves.
How does mullein help your lungs?
Mullein has been used traditionally as a remedy for the respiratory tract, including bronchitis. It works as an expectorant, meaning it helps expel mucus. Because demulcents can provoke production of more mucus in the lungs, they tend to be used more often in people with dry coughs.
How do you clean mullein leaves?
Mullein leaf, flower or root Tincture Remove the fresh herb off of the stalks–flowers, as they bloom, leaves fresh and green any time off rosettes or stalk. If using freshly dug roots early spring or fall (the first year for roots), wash and scrub them of dirt.
How long does mullein take to dry?
– Mullein leaves will take 5 to 8 hours to dry in a dehydrator. Place the leaves in a single layer on dehydrator trays and turn on the machine.
How long does mullein last?
Mullein is biennial which means it has a two-year life cycle.
How do you process a mullein plant?
Mullein oil can be made from either fresh or dry parts of the plant by either hot (active) or cold (passive) processing: Hot oil infusion. This process involves using a double boiler technique to gently heat a carrier oil, such as olive oil, with mullein leaves or flowers for up to 3 hours.
Can I drink mullein tea everyday?
To make mullein tea, you can use commercially prepared mullein tea bags or dried loose leaves. Pour 1 cup of water over 1–2 teaspoons of dried mullein leaves or flowers. Steep it for 10-15 minutes before drinking. You can drink the tea three or four times a day.
Is mullein tea good for your lungs?
Animal and human research suggest that mullein tea works by reducing inflammation, thereby helping relax the muscles in your respiratory tract (5, 6 ). The flowers and leaves of the plant are also used to treat other respiratory ailments, such as tuberculosis, bronchitis, tonsillitis, and pneumonia.
Does mullein tea help lungs?
It can help clear the lungs of mucus and reduce inflammation. It’s used to treat cough, pneumonia, and all sorts of respiratory problems. Surprisingly, smoking the leaves can clear out the lungs, but making mullein tea is also effective for lung health.
How can I repair my lungs naturally?
Ways to clear the lungs Steam therapy. Steam therapy, or steam inhalation, involves inhaling water vapor to open the airways and help the lungs drain mucus. Controlled coughing. Drain mucus from the lungs. Exercise. Green tea. Anti-inflammatory foods. Chest percussion.
What can I do with dried mullein leaves?
To make mullein tea, pour a cup of boiling water over a small amount of dried mullein flowers or leaves. Allow the tea to steep for five to 10 minutes. Sweeten the tea with honey if you don’t like the bitter flavor. Make a poultice by grinding dried flowers and/or leaves to a fine powder.
How do you propagate mullein?
Mullein seeds require light to germinate. Sow seeds 8-12″ apart on the soil surface and press lightly to settle. Seeds will sprout in 12-15 days. Transplant seedlings outdoors once danger of frost has passed.
Does mullein come back every year?
Sometimes called verbascum, this group of plants is made up of many different varieties. Most types of mullein are perennials, coming back year-after-year, some plants are biennials and come back for a couple of years, and a few mulleins are annuals.
Does mullein leaf extract expire?
Each bottle of Mullein Garlic Ear Oil has an expiration date. The oil generally lasts about 3 years. Store the oil in a cool dark place.
Does mullein tea raise blood pressure?
Does Mullein Tea Raise Blood Pressure? There are no reports or studies that identify “hypertension” (high blood pressure) as a side effect of mullein tea. The mullein plant does, however, contain coumarin, which is a natural blood thinner.
Is mullein tea good for COPD?
Known as Verbascum thapsus, its Latin name, mullein is considered beneficial for the lungs because it is an expectorant. This means that the herb may help the body remove excess mucus from lungs and soothes the mucus membranes with its emollient properties.
Is it good to drink mullein tea at night?
Mullein tea might be a safer bet than medicines. When taken before going to bed, it relaxes your nerves and nervous system mind enough to make you fall asleep. Experts believe that this tea contains a compound that acts as a natural sedative and helps your mind and body relax.
Does mullein leaf make you tired?
Mullein tea may act as a natural sedative and help relieve sleeping problems (1). The roots, leaves, and flowers of the mullein plant also possess sedative properties that help treat issues with sleep (10).