best way to preserve mullein leaves?

I am going to collect some mullein leaves from some beautiful plants that are growing nearby.
What is the best way to preserve them for future use?
Freeze them as is?
Dry them and freeze them?

The future use I can see would be to treat my cat's ear problem.

Same questions re preserving mugwort.

thanks.

btw, if anyone else is suffering from insomnia, I've recently been putting mugwort under my pillow, and this morning I slept til 7:30 - usually I wake at 3 or 4 am or if lucky 5 am.
I feel great. Don't know if it is the mugwort but thot I'd pass this on.

You could dry them (in the sun, or in a paper bag) and they would keep (freezer or no freezer) through the year for sure. If you want them for years and years, you could dry oven can them (see oven canning thread), but I just wouldn't worry about them dried in a bucket or paper bag.

Also, if it is for your cat's ear, I believe it is the little yellow mullein flowers (as opposed to the leaves) that are good for ears. You put some in some olive oil with a little crushed garlic. The tincture will preserve itself because of the oil.

Hope this helps!

Suzy Bean wrote:
You could dry them (in the sun, or in a paper bag) and they would keep (freezer or no freezer) through the year for sure. If you want them for years and years, you could dry oven can them (see oven canning thread), but I just wouldn't worry about them dried in a bucket or paper bag.

Also, if it is for your cat's ear, I believe it is the little yellow mullein flowers (as opposed to the leaves) that are good for ears. You put some in some olive oil with a little crushed garlic. The tincture will preserve itself because of the oil.

Hope this helps!

thanks.
and thanks for the reminder that it is the flowers and not the leaves. I think I posted something about that, and then forgot!
Guess I have to wait for next year for the flowers.