Common mullein (bear's ear). Mullein plant: medicinal properties of different types

Mullein (Verbascum) - about fifty species of mullein, belonging to the Norichaceae family, grow on the territory of Russia. These are mainly perennial or biennial plants. Annual species are occasionally found.

Preparations prepared from some types of mullein are used in medicine. To the main medicinal types include: scepter-shaped mullein (Verbascum thapsiforme Schrad.), mullein - bear ear or common (V. thapsus L.) and hairy mullein (V. phlomoides L.). The names are given for appearance, for the shape of the inflorescence, the shape of the leaves covered with thick long hairs.

In the first years of life, the plant forms a basal rosette of leaves; in the second year, a stem up to 1.5 m high develops. The stem is densely covered with leaves. The leaves are large, alternate, woolly-tomentose. They are deflected from the stem at a slight angle, so that in rainy weather water flows from the leaves to the stem and along the stem to the root system. For the plant, this form of leaf arrangement is beneficial, since mullein settles mainly on dry hillsides and sandy places.

The flowers are regular funnel-shaped, large, golden yellow. They are collected in a thick, long, riding brush. The plant blooms in summer from June to August.

Mullein (scepter-shaped) flowers contain up to 2.5% mucus, about 11% sugars, saponins, flavonoids, coumarin, carotene.

Mullein flowers and leaves are used as medicinal raw materials. Preparations made from them are rich in mucus, which allows them to be used as an expectorant, emollient and astringent for diseases of the upper respiratory tract. Mullein is included in breastfeeding preparations. It is used to mitigate inflammatory processes in the mucous membranes of the oral cavity and esophagus.

IN folk medicine A decoction of the leaves and flowers of hairy mullein was used to wash the wounds of animals from worms. Fresh grass was placed in barns to protect grain from mice. Tea made from flowers and leaves of mullein - bear's ear was used for shortness of breath and cough. They drank a decoction for uterine disorders after childbirth, for thinness. Leaf powder was used to cover cuts and wounds. Ointment from the seeds was used to stop inflammatory processes in wounds. A decoction of flowers and leaves was given to cows if they stopped producing milk after illness. In some places, the decoction is used for headaches.

The corollas (petals) of flowers are collected during full bloom, when the corolla is easily separated from the calyx. Raw materials can be dried directly in the sun, spread out on cloth or paper thin layer. Dried petals should be light yellow in color. The browned petals are discarded. The leaves are also collected when the plant is in flower. Dry them under a canopy or in a well-ventilated area.

A remedy for coughs, whooping cough, colds, inflammation of the lungs and bronchi, rheumatic, arthritic and especially nerve pain, liver and spleen disease, chronic cystitis, gastrointestinal diseases, diarrhea, for sitz baths, hemorrhoids and itching in the anus.

Latin name: Verbascum thapsus.

English name: Great or Common Mullein.

Family: Norichnikov - Scrophulariaceae.

Common names: bear's ear, royal candle, fire-grass, torch-grass, golden flower, Mary's candle.

Pharmacy name: mullein flowers - Verbasci flos.

Common mullein parts used: leaves and flowers.

Botanical description: common mullein - biennial plant in the first year it forms only a rosette of densely pubescent, hard leaves. Then a large, thick, also densely pubescent stem develops, 1-3 m in height with sessile descending leaves. The leaves are entire-edged in the mullein-like variety and crenate - in the densely flowered one. Bright yellow flowers sit on the peduncle in bunches (2-5 each) and form a dense spike-shaped inflorescence; They do not bloom simultaneously, but gradually, several flowers a day, and fall off very quickly. Blooms from June (July) to August (September).

Habitat: The common mullein is distributed almost everywhere in the world. Natural habitat: Macaronesia, Eurasia. Introduced and naturalized in Australia and New Zealand, Northern and South America. In the territory former USSR distributed in the European part, in the Caucasus and Altai, in Eastern Siberia, as well as in Central Asia. Grows on open places, mainly on sandy soil, on cliffs along river banks.

Collection and preparation: When collecting, drying and storing common mullein flowers, you need to be extremely careful, because they easily lose their golden color (becoming dirty brown), and with it most its healing qualities. Best time for collection - late morning, immediately after the sun dries the morning dew. At this time, it is easiest to separate the corollas of newly bloomed flowers with the stamens attached to them. Try not to take flower calyxes if you want to get good raw materials. Carry out drying in a ventilated area, the temperature should not exceed 50°C. Immediately after drying, the flowers are placed in well-closed containers so that they do not again gain moisture from the air (they are very hygroscopic!).

Active ingredients: First active substance mullein was exposed to mucus. Soon after, saponins, flavonoids, iridoids and some essential oil were found. Other components have also been found that also cannot be considered ballast, but the above-mentioned substances are the most important.

Common mullein - beneficial features and application

The flowers and leaves of common mullein have expectorant, emollient, enveloping, anti-inflammatory, analgesic and wound-healing properties. The flowers also have anticonvulsant properties. An infusion of flowers is used for coughs, hemoptysis, whooping cough, inflammation of the lungs and bronchi, severe runny nose with lacrimation, shortness of breath, and asthma. Also for liver disease, spleen and inflammation of the stomach and intestines. Mullein is included in the British Herbal Pharmacopoeia.

The German National Health Service recognizes its effectiveness for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract. The mucus included in its composition softens irritation, and saponins dissolve thick mucus in the bronchi and facilitate expectoration.

But mullein is almost never used separately. He is always just one of components various medicinal teas for coughs, and in addition to the direct effect, we must also recognize the effect of improving the taste of the tea. We present here one of the recipes from the German Pharmacopoeia (6th edition).

Common mullein in folk medicine

In folk medicine, common mullein is used as a cough remedy (mixed with plantain in equal parts), especially with a common cold. In addition, mullein is used for sitz baths, prescribed for hemorrhoids and itching in the anus, as well as for diarrhea and bedwetting. I would also like to mention the so-called royal oil, which is an extract from mullein flowers in olive oil. It has a good effect on ear pain, boils in the ear, eczema in the external auditory canal and chronic inflammation of the middle ear.

• Royal Butter Recipe: Pour a handful of fresh mullein flowers into a bottle and pour in 100 g of pure olive oil. The bottle must be from white glass, it is placed in the sun. Shake the container with the mixture thoroughly every day. After 3 - 4 weeks, the oil is filtered and it is ready for use.

Side effects There is no need to worry as long as you do not give too much of a dose.

A stately mullein in the garden will not go unnoticed; from June to August, ears with charming flowers will flaunt on tall peduncles. Each of them does not live long individually, but thanks to the alternate opening of the buds, the flowering seems almost continuous.

This plant, which is also called goldenflower, archer and royal scepter, is simply a godsend for the gardener. Mullein looks very impressive and will require minimal care.

Types of mullein

All species of mullein, and there are up to 300 of them in the genus, have enough decorative leaves. However, only some forms are used to decorate the garden. Varieties with impressive flowering were bred by crossing different kinds. This is how perennials appeared, which belong to the group of hybrid mullein.

Garden forms are larger than specimens growing in conditions wildlife, among them there are real giants up to 2 meters tall. True, there are also 50-centimeter babies, for example, purple mullein. This variety with a pubescent lower surface of the leaves blooms in June and is most often grown as a biennial. If you want to decorate your compositions with soft pink flowers, you can choose the Southern Charm variety.

Long-leaved mullein stretches up to 120 centimeters in height, it is quite frost-resistant, the petals are golden in color. Mullein She prefers sunny areas; the flowers on meter-long peduncles are also yellow, but with brown stamens. Silk mullein is a southern guest from Turkey, but it tolerates our winters well. Over the course of a year after planting, a large rosette of delicate pubescent leaves is formed, as if they are covered with frost. In the second year of life, a peduncle will appear (about 180 centimeters in length); the flowers of this variety are light yellow.

The perennial black mullein surprises with its original color; its yellow throat is decorated with brown spots with speckles. The length of the leaves is up to 25 centimeters, and the peduncle is 50-110 centimeters. Olympic mullein is quite tall, up to 2 meters. Blooms in July yellow petals no more than 3 centimeters in size. This variety comes from Asia Minor; it does not tolerate temperatures below -18 ° C and needs shelter for the winter.

Mullein - planting and care

This plant will definitely not upset you with its vagaries, but it will please you abundant flowering. The perennial is drought-resistant, since the stem-horse system helps it obtain water from the depths, and the pubescent leaves help reduce moisture evaporation. It loves bright light, but will also tolerate partial shade. Doesn't apply to soil either special requirements, although you should not plant it in an area with clay or damp loam.

Propagated by seeds. They are sown immediately permanent place in May-June, simply spreading it over the garden bed and sprinkling it with a little soil (the seeds are very small). As soon as the seedlings appear, they need to be thinned out, leaving the strongest specimens at a distance of about 20 centimeters. The seedlings are provided with regular watering and the plants will bloom in the second year. In case of transplantation, the root should not be separated from the earthen coma, this way the plant will adapt better.

In the future, this perennial reproduces well by self-sowing. However, even from seeds collected from one plant, descendants with different flower colors can grow. If uniformity of flowering is important, propagation by root cuttings is suitable. It is better to start dividing in August or September, after the mother plant has flowered. They dig it up and carefully cut the root into several pieces of about 6 centimeters each. Then the cuttings are placed on the garden bed, covered with a centimeter layer of sand and another 2 centimeter layer of soil on top, but so that the cutting is slightly visible on the surface. Young plants will emerge from adventitious buds.

The plant needs regular moderate watering; water should not stagnate in the area. Most species are grown as biennials, and to extend their lifespan, the stems are cut immediately after the flowering period, without waiting for the fruits to ripen. It is not recommended to be overzealous with fertilizing - on too fertile soil the plant will not last long. If you remove drying inflorescences in time, the hybrid mullein may bloom again in September, but not so luxuriantly.

Application in garden design

The flowering ears of the plant will certainly be the center of attention. Compact groups are good on the lawn. If you choose varieties that bloom from early June, you will be able to fill the gap between faded bulbous plants and perennials still preparing for a riot of colors. It is very important not to make a mistake with the choice of neighbors; they should hide the voids when the mullein begins to dry out. Successful partners can be plants such as

Mullein is a stately plant from the Norichinaceae family. Its homeland is the Mediterranean, USA and East Asia. The plant is also known by its Latin name - verbascum, but in our country it is not used so often. Mullein is attracted by its abundant flowering. The tops of its stems are completely hidden under bright, fragrant flowers. Not a single passerby can pass by without admiring the yellow, pink or snow-white inflorescences. Bright flowers attract birds and beneficial insects, so the garden will be filled with chirping and buzzing from early morning. Mullein is completely unpretentious in care, and its beautiful flowers not only please the eye, but also help improve health.

Botanical description

Mullein is biennial or perennial plant, although annuals are also found in nature. It has a strong taproot and an erect, almost unbranched stem 0.5-3 m high. At the base there is a rather dense rosette of basal leaves. Lower leaves have petioles half the length of the leaf blade. Sessile foliage is located higher up the stem. It is attached oppositely or in a spiral. The leaves have a whole sheet plate oval or heart-shaped. Their entire surface, as well as shoots and flowers, is densely covered with felt pile. The shoots and foliage are dark green or gray-green.

From the second year of life, a long stem develops above the leaf rosette, which is topped with an inflorescence. A flowering spike consists of several tiers of buds. At the bottom there are bunches of 4-7 corollas, and at the top there is a bunch of 1-4 smaller flowers. The diameter of the corolla is about 2 cm. It consists of yellow drooping petals and has a tubular or funnel-shaped shape. Under the fluffy, wide-open petals are hidden 5 stamens, varying in size and shape. Flowering continues throughout the summer.

After pollination, a small oblong seed capsule ripens. It is also densely pubescent. Inside there are small oblong seeds. Their rough surface colored yellow-brown.

Types of mullein

The mullein genus is very diverse, with more than 250 plant species recorded in it. Only a few are found on Russian territory. They are adapted to climatic conditions and also have excellent healing properties.

Scepter-shaped mullein (dense-flowered). The plant is 20-120 cm tall and has a thick, straight stem that is densely covered with foliage. The lower oval leaves reach 10-40 cm in length, and the size of the upper ones is only 4-10 cm. The long spike-shaped inflorescence is dotted with bunches yellow flowers. The variety got its name for the resemblance of the inflorescence to the golden royal scepter. The diameter of each corolla is 3.5-5 cm. Fresh flowers have a thin pleasant aroma, and dried ones have a richer honey smell.

Common mullein (bear's ear). All parts of the plant are densely covered with long silvery hair. Dark green foliage is located almost along the entire length of the shoot and only the very top is crowned by a short spike-shaped inflorescence. The lower petiolar leaves are 15-30 cm in length. Their size gradually decreases upward. Due to the gradually smaller leaves, the plant resembles a cone from a distance. The inflorescence consists of many small flowers up to 2 cm in diameter.

The plant is 50-120 cm high and has erect stems. Large foliage is located only at the lower third of the shoot. The lower petiolate leaves are ovate or heart-shaped. They are 20 cm long. The long inflorescence is covered with bunches of small yellow flowers. There are brown spots at the base of the petals, and the columns of stamens are decorated with purple fibers.

Stems 0.5-1.5 m high are densely covered with foliage. At the top there is a long inflorescence, which sometimes branches into several shoots. All parts of the plant are covered with thick felt pile. Oval leaves with a blunt edge are 15-25 cm long. Flowers with soft, long petals are collected in groups along the entire length of the inflorescence. Their diameter is 3.5-5.5 cm. The anthers are colored red.

This decorative variety was obtained by interspecific crossing. Its advantage is its large flowers of a wide variety of colors. The height of the shoots depends on the variety and can be less than 50 cm or almost 1.8 m. Popular varieties:

• Mont Blanc – tall plant with large snow-white flowers;
• Herry Helen - the inflorescence consists of large (up to 10 cm in diameter) bright pink flowers;
• Jackie – dwarf variety up to 45 cm high, covered with smoky pink flowers;
• Pink Domino - orange stains are visible on large crimson flowers.

Reproduction methods

Mullein can be propagated by sowing seeds or rooting cuttings. The seeds remain viable for a long time and are resistant to frost, so they can be sown immediately open ground. The plant also often self-sows. Due to the taproot, which goes deep into the soil, it is not worth replanting mullein. Therefore, sowing seedlings is not practical. In open ground, seeds are sown immediately in a permanent place. This is done in mid-May or later, when the average daily temperature reaches +13...+18°C. Shoots appear in 1-2 weeks. In the first month, seedlings grow very slowly. Later they develop quite quickly and do not require much care. Flowering is expected in the second year of life. It should be remembered that mullein is easily pollinated, so seedlings can be very different from the mother plants.

Cuttings help preserve varietal characteristics. Cuttings should be cut after the end of the flowering period (August-September), then the probability successful rooting it will become much bigger. The main plant with root shoots is dug up and freed from the ground. The root is cut into several parts with buds or small shoots. The length of each rhizome should be at least 5-7 cm. The cuttings are laid horizontally in prepared holes. First, they are covered with a layer of sand 5 mm thick, and on top with earth to a height of 15-20 mm. A distance of 40 cm must be maintained between seedlings.

Rules of care

Mullein is an unpretentious and easy plant. Even a beginner can take care of it. For normal development, the plant needs an open sunny place. Slight shading is allowed, but significant disadvantage sunlight the plant will develop worse.

The soil for planting should be loose and light. IN clay soil should be added sufficient quantity sand, gravel and peat. It is better if the land has moderate fertility. Then mullein can grow on it for several years. But on nutrient soils it develops worse and often dies at the end of the season.

Mullein only needs watering in dry weather. A small amount of water is enough. The soil should dry well between irrigations. For a root that goes deep enough into the ground, nourish groundwater it won't be a problem. But frequent and prolonged stagnation of moisture in the soil will certainly lead to rotting of the roots and death of the plant.

Mullein rarely needs feeding. One fertilizer with a mineral complex during the flowering period is enough. If the soils are fertile, then they can do without fertilizing at all.
In order for mullein to live longer than two years, it is recommended to cut off the inflorescence before the seeds ripen. Hybrid varieties After pruning, they are able to bloom again the same year.

Use in the garden

Tall plants with such large and beautiful flowers will not go unnoticed in the garden. Especially when it comes to decorative varieties With different colors petals. Throughout the summer, mullein will attract insects and birds. It begins to bloom when the primroses have already faded and the later perennials have not yet formed buds. Thus, mullein fills the pause in flowering. It is important to choose the right neighbors so that the flower garden looks harmonious. They can be orchis, catnip, salvia, anafalis, sage.

Thickets of mullein are also used as a background in the background of a flower bed. It can be planted in small groups in the middle of the lawn, in rockeries or along paths.

Medicinal properties of the plant

Many varieties of mullein are used in folk medicine. Its flowers, roots and shoots are rich in tannins, vitamins, mucilages, essential oils, flavonoids. Oils, alcohol tinctures and decoctions from various parts plants are used as an anti-inflammatory, expectorant, hemostatic and antimicrobial agent.

Flower decoctions are used to thin thick mucus in the bronchi and lungs. The fresh juice is rubbed on warts to get rid of them. Compresses and masks based on decoction help fight acne. Alcohol and water tinctures are taken for cystitis, bronchial asthma, hypertension, colds, and rheumatism. Mullein is widely used for hemorrhoids, lichen, tuberculosis, as well as diseases of the liver and gastrointestinal tract. To prevent infection from getting into wounds, burned tissues or cracks on the feet, they are sprinkled with dry mullein powder.

Medicinal raw materials are harvested during the flowering period. It is important to remember that each flower lives only one day and fades by evening. Whole corollas are collected in the first half of the day. They are dried under a canopy or in drying ovens at temperatures up to 50°C. Completely dry raw materials are stored in fabric or paper bags for two years.

Mullein has no contraindications, but it should be taken with caution by people prone to allergies. All drugs must be carefully filtered through several layers of fabric. Even a small amount of villi causes severe irritation of the stomach and mucous membranes.

Due to its numerous healing properties, the herb mullein, or verbascum, is widely used in traditional and folk medicine. plant in medicinal purposes has been used since the time of Hippocrates. The Central Asian philosopher and physician Avicenna used decoctions of verbascum in the treatment of tumors, toothache, muscle ruptures, cough, and conjunctivitis. In the herbal book published in 1611 by Simon Sirensky, it is noted that decoctions and tinctures from the roots of the plant relieve helminths and diarrhea.

Composition and healing qualities of mullein

Mullein has many beneficial properties:

• wound healing;
• sweatshop;
• painkillers;
• diuretic;
• cardiotonic;
• hemostatic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• enveloping;
• astringent;
• sedative;
• antibacterial;
• anticonvulsant;
• hypotensive;
• expectorant.

The mucus contained in the plant has an anti-inflammatory, enveloping, expectorant effect, resulting in improved sputum separation. Glucose is the main supplier of energy for the body; it stabilizes metabolic processes, thereby helping to normalize the activity of all organs and systems. Saponins help liquefy and remove sputum, prevent the proliferation of cancer cells, and have antisclerotic, sedative, diuretic, and expectorant properties. Flavonoids improve the elasticity of blood vessels, strengthen capillaries; neutralize the effects of free radicals; normalize the activity of the central nervous system.

Essential oils contained in mullein normalize cardiovascular and digestive system; soften cough; enhance mucus separation; have bactericidal, anti-inflammatory, sedative effects.

Gum stabilizes the activity of the gastrointestinal tract, normalizes its microflora; removes toxins; reduces cholesterol levels. Coumarins thin the blood and have a diuretic, antiseptic, and astringent effect. Carotene is a natural immunostimulant; it increases the body's resistance to infections; neutralizes the negative effects of free radicals.

Iridoids in the plant have the following properties:

• oxidative;
• antimutagenic;
• hypoglycemic;
• immunomodulatory;
• antiviral;
• painkillers;
• antispasmodic;
• choleretic;
• anti-inflammatory;
• antitumor.

Organic acids relieve inflammation, have an antiseptic effect, and promote sputum separation. Tannins have anti-inflammatory, bactericidal, bacteriostatic and astringent properties. Alkaloids help lower blood pressure and have analgesic, hemostatic, and sedative properties. In addition, verbascum contains tannin, potassium, vitamin C, iron, calcium, and magnesium.

Use in folk medicine

Mullein tinctures and decoctions effectively treat coughs, stomach and duodenal ulcers due to the mucus and saponins they contain. Help treat skin conditions including eczema, vitiligo and psoriasis. The decoction helps well for the following diseases:

• gingivitis;
• colitis;
• atherosclerosis;
• angina;
• stomatitis;
• neuralgia;
• cystitis;
• dystrophy;
• hypertension.

Pour a tablespoon of plant leaves into 250 ml of water, bring to a boil and cook for 2 minutes. Leave for 30 minutes, strain through several layers of gauze. Take 3 times a day, 1 tbsp. l. For the treatment of skin diseases, it is recommended to use this remedy externally. Mullein infusion is used to treat:

• ARVI;
• whooping cough;
• tuberculosis;
• epilepsy;
• pneumonia;
• migraine;
• seizures;
• hoarseness;
• jaundice;
• inflammatory diseases of the gastrointestinal tract;
• bronchial asthma;
• bronchitis;
• upper respiratory tract diseases;
• shortness of breath;
• tonsillitis.

Brew 1 part in 250 ml of boiling water. l. dried raw materials. Strain the product left for 10 minutes. After meals, drink 150 ml 3 times a day. For diseases of the respiratory tract, spleen and stomach, it is recommended to use verbascum tincture with vodka. Pour 1 tbsp. l. dried flowers 10 tbsp. l. vodka, leave for 3 days. This remedy can be used for rubbing in the treatment of neuralgia, arthritis, rheumatism, radiculitis.

Mullein oil eliminates ear inflammation and pain, heals wounds, and destroys pathogenic microelements. Put 3 tbsp in a jar. l. flowers of the plant, pour 100 ml of olive oil, leave in the sun for 30 days. Shake the mixture daily. Strain the infused mixture and store in the refrigerator. The product can be used as a lotion to treat ear pain, infections of the oral cavity, gums, bruises, and inflammation of the mucous membrane.

Mullein ointment treats purulent wounds and ulcers. Grind the plant seeds into powder and mix in a 1:2 ratio with butter. A decoction of mullein “royal scepter” successfully fights colds, bronchitis, and bronchial asthma. Pour 300 ml of water or milk into 20 g of plant flowers, boil for 5 minutes, leave for 30 minutes, strain. Take before bedtime. You can add honey.

Mullein for hemorrhoids

Mullein, which has a wound-healing, anti-inflammatory, softening, and hemostatic effect, is effectively used to get rid of hemorrhoids.

To do this, you can prepare a decoction. Pour 1 tbsp into a thermos. l. flowers, pour in 1.5 cups of boiling water, leave for about an hour. The resulting composition must be carefully filtered. You should drink the medicine 1/3 cup 3 times a day after meals. Bloody discharge stop after a week of using the medicine. An advanced disease will need to be treated for up to 2 weeks.

Candles work effectively. Mix 100 g butter with mullein flowers, chamomile, toadflax, taken 1 tbsp. l. The butter must first be melted. Heat the mixture in a water bath, stirring for about an hour. Cover the container with the mixture with a lid, wrap it up, and cool. Then heat the mixture again, strain thoroughly, add 10 g of beeswax, heat again until it is completely dissolved. From the prepared mass, slightly cooled, form candles and place them in the refrigerator to harden. Treatment with such suppositories helps to heal cracks and eliminate inflammation. They need to be used at night.

For hemorrhoids it is useful to take every other day medicinal baths with mullein decoction for 20 minutes. A bucket of water will require 1 kg of plant flowers. Boil the broth, leave, cool to the desired temperature, strain. Such baths also help with skin diseases.

Restrictions on use

There are no serious contraindications for the use of medicinal products from mullein, with the exception of pregnancy, lactation, and individual intolerance. But the plant should be used carefully. Mullein seeds should not be ingested - they are poisonous. The plant contains talin, which has carcinogenic properties, as a result of which medicinal products prepared from mullein are contraindicated for malignant tumors. Decoctions and tinctures from verbascum flowers must be carefully filtered through several layers of gauze to prevent the entry into the body of the finest hairs that can cause irritation of the stomach and esophagus.

Nature presents us with many gifts. One of them is mullein, or verbascum. This plant has many varieties. The most common flowers are: common mullein, densely flowered, black, Olympic, purple, scepter-shaped, hybrid, paniculate, bear's ear, royal scepter, which will be discussed in this article. Sometimes mullein species are completely different from each other, you can see this by looking at the photo. But each flower is unique in its own way, has medicinal properties and is widely used in official and folk medicine. Depending on the variety, mullein can be a biennial or perennial plant. These flowers grow in wild environments: fields, meadows, and are also domesticated and planted by gardeners for later use.

Growing the royal scepter mullein plant

Royal scepter mullein is a biennial plant that grows up to 2 m in height and has a shape similar to a scepter. Small yellow flowers, about 1.5 cm in diameter, are placed densely on the upper half of the stem. They bloom alternately, starting approximately from the middle of the stem. Thus, mullein flowering occurs throughout almost the entire warm period.

Verbascum leaves are located horizontally above the ground, they are quite wide and pubescent. He has a powerful root system, this is especially true for perennial species.

Flowering variety of the Royal Scepter

Most often, this plant can be seen on roadsides, in courtyards, gardens and parks, in fields and forest areas. It also grows on personal plots, where it receives proper care and is subsequently used as a medicine.

Attention! Mullein grows best in sandy soil, although black soil is also suitable for it. You cannot sow royal scepter mullein in clay soil.

Mullein reproduces in several ways:

1. Division of rhizomes. Since the royal scepter mullein is a biennial plant, by the end of the first year’s flowering last days September - early October, gardeners dig up rhizomes and separate shoots. They are treated with disinfectants and planted in the soil. In this way, mullein reproduces, and a person can control where the flowers grow so that they are not placed too close to each other. Even before the onset of frost, the divided rhizomes will produce small sprouts.
2. Self-seeding Upon completion of flowering, seeds are formed in place of the flower, which, after drying under the influence of wind or rain, leave mother plant and fall into the ground. This type of propagation does not require effort, but has a number of disadvantages: the impossibility of growing in rows; if there are several species in one area, self-seeding will lead to the degeneration of some of them.
3. Growing the royal scepter mullein plant from seeds. This is the most suitable option. It is less energy intensive than dividing rhizomes and more human-controlled than self-seeding. The seeds are collected from the largest inflorescences and dried. In May they are sown in prepared soil and watered. After a few weeks, seedlings appear that need to be thinned out, leaving only the strongest plants at a distance of at least 30-40 cm from one another. Mullein flowers grown from seeds will bloom in the second year. After which it will be necessary to collect and sow the seeds again.

Attention! Don't bury the seeds too much. It is best to scatter them over the soil and then sprinkle them with a small amount of soil. As the root system grows, it will position itself at the required depth.

Mullein royal scepter is easy to care for

Like any plant, verbascum needs care. But gardeners don’t have to spend a lot of time on it.

• Fertilizer. Even before sowing, a small amount of mineral fertilizer is applied to the ground, and the soil is loosened with a hoe. Mature plants love feeding with organic or mineral fertilizers, which should be applied to the root zone.

Seeds of the Royal Scepter variety

• Weeding. The plant will feel better in loosened soil. Weeds worsen the appearance of the site, take away nutrients from the ground, and also create shadows, which can damage young mullein shoots. Therefore, weeds must be removed regularly.
• Mulching. Royal scepter mullein responds well to mulching. Sprinkling the ground with sawdust, bark, wood chips or other substances reduces the number of weeds and saturates the soil useful substances and it just looks aesthetically pleasing.
• Collection of seeds. Having selected several flowers on the stem, they are not removed until the seeds are completely ripe. After the petals have completely dried, the seeds are collected, the remains of the flower are removed and dried in the sun - most often on a windowsill inside the house. Seeds should be stored in a paper bag in a room with low air humidity.
• Removing flowers. Since verbascum blooms in stages, you need to ensure that faded flowers are removed in a timely manner. Otherwise, they will draw on the strength of the plant, slowing down the flowering process of the remaining buds, and after some time they will dump the resulting seeds into the ground.
• Removing the stem. After the end of the mullein flowering period, it is necessary to completely cut off all the stems, which, after removal, can be put into compost.
• Preparing for winter. Due to low temperatures In winter, even before the onset of cold weather, care must be taken to ensure that the royal scepter survives the frost. To do this, the rhizomes are sprinkled with ash, sawdust, peat, fallen leaves and even branches.

Medicinal properties of mullein

The mullein royal scepter has healing properties with its help you can prevent diseases or alleviate their course.

Verbascum is used:

• for skin diseases, lichen;
• for problems with the stomach and intestines;
• for hemorrhoids;
• for diseases of the oral cavity;
• for asthma and throat problems;
• for cardiovascular diseases.

Mullein in nature

Royal scepter mullein has a soothing, expectorant, wound-healing, diuretic effect, will relieve swelling and puffiness. Therefore, it is included in many medicines.
In folk medicine, mullein tincture, decoction, oil and ointment are used.

Attention! When preparing mullein products, the stamens must be carefully removed. They cause irritation to the skin and mucous membranes.

Contraindications to treatment with mullein

Verbascum - very useful plant, but there are still a few caveats.

1. It is very rare that a person is intolerant to this flower. Before use, do a test: spread a small amount of ointment or mullein decoction on a healthy area of ​​skin. If after several hours redness, burning or other signs of rejection do not appear, you can safely use mullein as a medicine.
2. During pregnancy and lactation, this plant should be used carefully. It’s better to completely eliminate it at this time.

Traditional medicine is designed to help people. But only in moderation and in sensible ways. Serious diseases can only be diagnosed and treated by a highly specialized specialist - a doctor, who should be contacted immediately. Mullein royal scepter has a wide range medicinal properties and can prevent many diseases. But the main gift a person can give to their health is proper nutrition, mode and regular physical exercise. In combination with verbascum products, they will bring health and longevity to the whole family.