Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)

Great Mullein (Verbascum thapsus)





Looking for info on Stratification, Seed saving & Germination

Beautiful

Also known as cowboy toilet paper

It is one of my favourites on the permaculture playing cards. It is listed as an incredibly versatile plant. Decongestant, expectant, ear ache remedy, bow fire starter, nutrient accumulator, soil moisturizer, soil loosener, torch, toilet paper. How can one plant do so much? Good to see photos. It is so beautiful too. Incredible chemistry and mechanics built into this plant!!! It seems fuzzy like my lambs ear in my garden. Wonder if lambs ear and cowboy tp are related.
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Just did more research on this Wikipedia. Wikipedia says it is called lamb's ear too. I have lamb's ear though. Wikipedia has a different Latin name for lamb's ear: starchy Byzantine. Mine has purple flowers. I have found it to be prolific. It is multiplying every where in our yard. The soft fuzzy leaves are fun to pet. It is incredible to have a pettable plant. I still think they are related, but have not found anything definitive, yet. Mullen appears to be much more uses than the lamb's ear I have. Mine is good for fighting staph infection. It is also called boy scout to. Might test it to see what other uses I can get from it.

i have only tried seed saving twice but neither times got plants /: i think i gathered too late the once (gathered half the seed stalk part, left the other half for nature) and guessing i got the duds or the birds ate the seed or something. i tried planting cut sections of the seed stalk, inside starting and outside stuck in the ground.

i know they are biennial so maybe the best way to start with them is careful transplanting of small first year plants. that way the second year they just grow there and seed the spot itself.

I just seeded a week ago in flats.

I also cold-stratified the seed for a month or so.

I'll let you know how it turns out.

William

I love mullein. I use it as tincture, tea, in salves, awesome. I keep hearing people refer to it as cowboy toilet paper. Hmmm... Has anyone here actually USED THIS? I ask because I get itchy from skin contact with this stuff. I don't harvest if anything might delay a shower. Once dried, or steeped and strained, it does not trouble me. But Toilet paper? Shudder. Is this only a problem if cursed with sensitive skin?

I always assumed it was a joke, playing off the notion that cowboys have cast iron calluses where their butts used to be.

Many people on the internet say they are sensitive to the fine hairs on mullein. Handling it with my hands does not bother me, but I haven't gotten experimental with more tender areas, and don't plan to.