Herb of the Season - Mullein

Powers: Courage, Protection, Health, Love, Divination, and Purification

Deities: Circe
Element: Fire
Planet: Jupiter and/or Saturn

Folk names: These are a few of the names associated with mullein - candlewick plant, torches, hag's tapers, graveyard dust, Lady's foxglove.

Parts Used: Leaves and flowers

Botanical:

The leaves near the base of the stem are large and numerous, six to eight inches long and two to two and a half inches wide but they become smaller as they ascend the stem. They are arranged on the stems not as opposites to each other but on alternate sides. They are broad and simple in form, the outline rather wavy, and do not have stems. Their bases continue some distance down the stem in a manner similar to comfrey and a few other plants. The hair on the leaves is very thick and acts as a protective coat protecting it from giving off too much moisture. It also protects the leaves from insect attacks. They also cause irritation to the mucous membrane of any grazing animals that may try to eat them. The hairs are not only on the leaves but are on the stems too. Mullein grows mostly in dry soils. The leaves are, however, subject to attacks of mold.

Toward the top of the stalk, the woolly leaves merge into the thick, densely crowded flower spike which is usually a foot long. These stalks grows frequently four to five feet high and in some gardens have been known to grow to seven or eight feet in height. Flowers open along the spike but not in a regular possession from the base as in the foxglove. 

Folklore and History: Mrs. Grieves writes about the mullein plant:  "The down on the leaves and stem makes excellent tinder when quite dry, readily igniting on the slightest spark, and was, before the introduction of cotton, used for lamp wicks, hence the name 'candlewick plant.'" (Grieves Volume II, page 564) Mrs. Grieve continues: "Both in Europe and Asia the power of driving away evil spirits was ascribed to the mullein. In India it has the reputation among the natives that the St. John's Wort once had here, being considered a sure safeguard against evil spirits and magic. And from the ancient classics we learn that it was this plant which Ulysses took to protect himself against the wiles of Circe." (Grieves Volume II, page 564)

According to Frazer, in the Golden Bough, an old pagan custom which long survived in western France involved passing mullein through the Midsummer's Eve bonfire. The mullein would protect the herds and the ashes from the fire were considered most magical.According to Frazer, in the Golden Bough, an old pagan custom which long survived in western France involved passing mullein through the Midsummer's Eve bonfire. The mullein would protect the herds and the ashes from the fire were considered most magical.

Herbal Uses:

The leaf is a classic remedy for bronchitis (as well as other coughs) and burning urination. Simmer two teaspoons per cup and take a ¼ cup four times a day. A tea of the flowers taken before bed brings sleep. A poultice of the leaves helps wounds and sores. The leaves steeped in vinegar and water will soothe inflammations, painful skin conditions, and hemorrhoids, when used externally as a poultice. They may be used in tincture form, fifteen to forty drops every two to four hours. 

The oil of mullein flowers can be used for earaches. Cover the flowers in good olive oil and steep them in a closed container in the hot sun for twenty-one days. Strain out the flowers and place the oil directly in the ear. Pack with cotton.

Magical Uses:

Few herbs have such a strong association with the element of fire. There are many folk names ('torches' and 'hag's tapers' are just a few) for mullein which demonstrate this connection. Mullein may be used to invoke the elemental energy of fire and bring literal fire into the ritual. Dried leaves may be soaked in oil. Some ingenious practitioners dip them into a liquid mixture of saltpeter and water, and then hang them to dry. When tossed into a fire, they blaze brightly. This may be done in the ritual cauldron, bonfire or one's fireplace.

The entire flower stalk may be harvested and dried. You may choose to pick them when the flowers are at their prime, their yellow a reflection of the Sun. You can also harvest them as part of the autumn harvest when the mullein's work is down; the stalks naturally drying and turning brown, the flowers spent, the seeds sown naturally by the plant itself. The head of the stalk is then soaked in a tallow mixture so it may be carried, burning as a torch. Such torches would be ideal for lighting the dark and fearful night of Hallow's Eve. When you walk between two rows of mullein torches lining the path to the Hallow's Circle, you know you are ready to communicate with the other side.

Mystery schools and monasteries often grew mullein as protection, although growing mullein is like owning a cat. Seeding itself naturally, this biennial does not always take to transplanting. Seedlings must be allowed to grow to adequate strength. The ideal weather for transplanting is damp and no warmer than cool. Mullein grows best when left on its own. Each year holds surprises. You never know where a mullein will spring up.

Mullein is worn to keep wild animals from you while hiking in untamed areas. It also instills courage in the bearer and a few leaves placed in the shoe keeps one from catching a cold. Mullein is also carried to obtain love from the opposite sex. Stuffed into a small pillow, or placed under a pillow, will guard against nightmares. 

Modern usage includes an affinity between this herb and women. A number of groups have introduced mullein into their herbal work, finding it a source of comfort and strength.

In the Ozarks, men performed a simple love divination. The man went to a clearing where a mullein grew and bent it down so that it pointed toward his love's house. If she loved him the mullein would grow upright again; if she loved another it would die. Graveyard dust - an infrequent ingredient in spells - can be substituted with powdered mullein leaves. The powdered leaf has been found in ancient grimoires as a substitute for graveyard dust.

Sources:
Beyerl, Paul. A Compendium of Herbal Magick. Custer, WA. Phoenix Publishing, Inc. 1998

Cunningham, Scott. Cunningham's Encyclopedia of Magical Herbs. St. Paul, MN; Llewellyn Publications. 2000

Grieve, Mrs. A Modern Herbal Volume II. Mineola, NY; Dover Publications.1971

Hopman, Ellen Evert. A Druid's Herbal for the Sacred Earth Year. Rochester, VT; Destiny Books. 1995.