Mullein is native to central, eastern, and southern Europe, northern Africa, Ethiopia, and Asia Minor. The drug material comes mainly from cultures in Egypt, Bulgaria and the Czech Republic. Medicinally, the dried yellow corollas together with the stamens (Verbasci flos) are used. More rarely, one also uses the leaves of the plant (Verbasci folium).
Mullein: special characteristics
Mullein is a biennial plant up to 2.5 m tall with tomentose, long rosette leaves and alternate stem leaves.
In the second year of growth, the bright yellow flowers develop, arranged in a dense, long spike cluster. The flowers are 5-toothed and up to 5 cm in diameter. Inside lie the five filamentous stamens.
Use of mullein in herbal medicine.
In herbal medicine, the most commonly used are felt mullein and large-flowered mullein, which are very similar. However, small-flowered mullein is also considered an acceptable drug source.
The drug consists of a multitude of yellow corollas composed of three larger and two smaller petals with woolly hairs on the outside. Other components of the drug material include flower fragments and occasional thin, reddish-yellow stamens.
Odor and taste of woolly flowers
The smell of woolly flowers is relatively weak and reminiscent of honey. Woolly flowers taste sweetish and slightly slimy.
