1) Remember that just because an herb is natural, that does not automatically make it safe!! Many plants are quite deadly natural poisons, and some plants can be toxic in larger doses that are fine in smaller ones.
2) They can cause allergic reactions!! If you have allergies, start out small...even burning an herb you are allergic to releases volatile oils into the air that can cause reaction on the skin or when the smoke is inhaled. Be cautious, and be aware of how you are reacting when using herbs.
3) Be *very* careful what you combine...two herbs that you tolerate just fine alone can cause negative effects when combined.
Basically, know what you're doing before you begin self-treating in any form, and always tell your doctor and/or pharmacist what you take. Many common herbs are perfectly safe, of course, so I don't mean to scare anyone away...just use common sense as you would with any *medicine*.
Now, on to Mullein!
MULLEIN (Verbascum thapsus)
COMMON/FOLKLORE NAMES: White Mullein, Torches, Mullein Dock, Our Lady's Flannel, Velvet Dock, Blanket Herb, Velvet Plant, Bullock's Lungwort, Woolen, Rag Paper, Candlewick Plant, Jupiter's Staff, Aaron's rod, Lady's Foxglove (not Foxglove the flower!), Donkey's Ears, Shephard's Clubs, Beggar's Stalk, Adam's Flannel, Clot, Duffle, Wild Ice Leaf, Feltwort, Hag's Flannel
PARTS USED: Primarily the leaves and flowers today, some historical usage also included the root
HISTORICAL REFERENCES: In literature, we find Mullein featured in the epic travels of Ulysses, carried with him as protection him from the enchantress Circe. We see reference to this belief across Europe, India and Asia, where Mullein was commonly used for driving away evil spirits or for protection against magic and curses.
Mullein's folkloric name of Candlewick Plant reveals its practical heritage. The hairs on the leaves and stems make excellent tinder when dried, and are readily ignitable, thus it was often used for lamp wicks before the cotton wick was common. It was also common to dip the stalks in suet and burn them at funerals.
An old superstition claimed that witches used Mullein stalks for this purpose as well, thus we have "Hag's Taper". A closer look at this reveals it may actually have had more to do with the word Hage or Hege, meaning Hedge, or Hedge Taper. Grown commonly along hedgerows, one couldn't miss the resemblance to a candle in the bright yellow flowers atop the stalk.
