The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies Motherwort
Tincture:
Motherwort leaves, stems, and flowers, roughly chopped, 80 proof vodka or similar drinking alcohol. Glass jar, Sterilize a glass jar and tight-fitting lid. Fill the jar with chopped leaves, stems, and flowers to about 1/2 full. Fill the jar to within 1/4 (0.6cm) inch of the top, completely covering the herbs.
Mullein, Verbascum thapsus
Cap the jar tightly and store it in a cool, dark place. Shake the jar once a day for six weeks. Check the alcohol levels regularly and add more alcohol as necessary to keep the jar full. Strain out the herbs and store the tincture in a sterile jar in a cool, dark place.
Edible Use: The leaves and flowers are edible, although most people prefer them as a tea.
Mullein belongs to the Scrophulariaceae (Figwort/Snapdragon) family. It is most commonly known as great mullein or common mullein. Its other names include Flannel Plant, Aaron's rod, Hag Taper, Torches, and Velvet Plant. Mullein is a widely distributed plant in North America and is exceedingly abundant as a naturalized weed in the eastern States. It grows in meadows, by roadsides, and on waste ground, especially on gravel, sand or chalky soil. This plant grows in a vast range of habitats but prefers disturbed ground. Mullein is widely used for herbal remedies, with wellestablished emollient and astringent properties. This plant has also been used to make dyes and torches and is a lovely bush toilet paper.
Identification: Mullein is a velvety, soft, biennial plant. When in its second year, Mullein has an erect tall flowering spike that can reach nearly 8 feet (2.4 meters) in height. Its basal rosette, tall flowering stem, and velvety leaves make it easily recognizable. Each mullein flower is about 3/4 inch (1.875 cm) across and consists of five pale petals, 5 hairy-green sepals, five stamens, and one pistil. In its first growth year, mullein leaves form a basal rosette. They have, very large, long, oval velvety, gray-green leaves that can grow up to 20 inches (50 cm) in length. In their second year, they send up a single tall flowering spike with alternately arranged leaves. This plant produces small, ovoid capsules approximately 1/4 inch (0.625 cm) in length that contain many minute, brown seeds that are less than 0.04 inches (0.1 cm) in size.
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Medicinal Use: The leaves and the flowers of mullein are anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, antispasmodic, astringent, demulcent, diuretic, emollient, expectorant, anodyne (pain-killing) and vulnerary (woundhealing). I make an effective bronchitis tincture using Mullein, Lungwort Lichen and Yerba Santa for both symptomatic treatment and as a curative.
Bronchitis, Emphysema, Laryngitis, Tracheitis, Asthma, and Tuberculosis: Mullein is a commonly used herbal remedy. I value it for its efficacy in the treatment of chest complaints such as bronchitis, tuberculosis, and asthma. It reduces the
