Mullein (Verbascum thapsus) is used mainly for lung and breathing health, and its benefits have held up across 2,000 years of traditional use and a growing body of modern research. People take it to ease a cough, loosen congestion, and calm irritated airways. It's not a trendy supplement. If you've been hearing about mullein and want to understand what it does and how to use it, this is the page for that.
We grow and wildcraft mullein here at Mayim Farm in Opp, Alabama. We've been working with it since 2011. What follows is what we know from both the research and from years of growing, processing, and using it ourselves.
What Is Mullein?
Mullein is a tall biennial plant native to Europe and Asia that has naturalized across North America. In its first year it grows a low rosette of large, soft, velvety leaves, sometimes called "Grandmother's Flannel" for their texture. In its second year it sends up a tall stalk, often 5 to 8 feet high, covered in tightly packed yellow flowers.
The leaves are the part most commonly used medicinally, though the flowers have their own applications (particularly mullein flower oil for ear infections). The plant grows readily in disturbed soils, roadsides, and fields across the southeastern United States, including right here in Alabama, where we harvest it by hand from our farm and surrounding land.
Mullein Leaf Benefits and Uses
Mullein's primary traditional use is breathing and lung support, specifically:
- Loosening and clearing mucus from the lungs and bronchial tubes
- Soothing irritated airways and reducing inflammation
- Easing chronic or acute cough
- Supporting recovery from bronchitis, chest colds, and congestion
- General lung maintenance for smokers, ex-smokers, or anyone with chronic airway exposure
It's also been used historically for earaches (as a flower oil), skin soothing (as a poultice), and mild antimicrobial applications. But its reputation is built on the lungs.
How Mullein Works: The Science
Mullein works through two complementary mechanisms that most respiratory herbs don't combine.
Expectorant action: Mullein contains saponins, compounds that stimulate fluid production in the respiratory tract, which thins mucus and makes it easier to move out of the airways. This is why it promotes productive coughing rather than suppressing it. A well-functioning cough clears the airway. Mullein helps that process work more efficiently.
Demulcent action: Mullein also contains polysaccharides that form a mild mucilage, a slippery, coating substance that soothes inflamed mucous membranes. This is what calms the irritation after mucus has been cleared, and what makes it useful for dry, irritated coughs as well as wet, congested ones.
Research has also identified anti-inflammatory flavonoids, antiviral activity against influenza A and herpes simplex virus, and antibacterial properties against a range of human pathogens. A 2000 study found that combining mullein with the antiviral medication amantadine increased activity against influenza. A 2020 study confirmed antibacterial activity against both gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria.
The Cleveland Clinic has published on mullein's lung benefits. The evidence isn't at the level of a pharmaceutical drug, but for an herb, the research base is unusually solid.
Mullein Tea: How to Brew It
Mullein tea is the most traditional preparation and one of the most effective for respiratory use. The steam itself is part of the therapy. Breathing it as it steeps opens the airways before the first sip.
How to brew mullein tea:
- Add 1 to 2 teaspoons of dried mullein leaf to a tea infuser or strainer
- Pour 8 oz of just-boiled water over the leaves
- Cover the cup while steeping. This keeps the volatile oils in
- Steep for 10 to 15 minutes
- Strain carefully through a fine cloth or double-strainer. Mullein's tiny leaf hairs can cause throat irritation if they get into the cup
- Add honey if desired. It has complementary soothing properties for the throat
Drink 2 to 3 cups daily when symptoms are active. For general maintenance, 1 cup daily is a common approach.
What does mullein tea taste like? Mild, slightly earthy, and gently herbal. Not bitter. Most people find it easy to drink, especially with honey.
Read Carole's full guide to brewing mullein tea at home
Mullein Tincture Benefits: When to Use It
A mullein tincture (liquid extract) is the better choice for faster absorption, convenience, or acute symptoms. Some people simply don't enjoy drinking tea, and the tincture gets the same job done. Take 1 to 2 dropperfuls (30 to 60 drops) in water up to three times daily. Shake well before each use.
Mullein for Smokers and Ex-Smokers
This is one of the most common reasons people seek out mullein. It won't reverse structural damage from long-term smoking, but it can help with the functional side. Accumulated mucus moves more easily, chronically irritated airways calm down, and the lungs' own clearance mechanisms get some support. Many ex-smokers use it during the first months after quitting, when coughing tends to increase before it decreases as the lungs begin to clear.
Wildcrafted vs. Farmed Mullein
Most dried mullein sold commercially is imported, often from Eastern Europe or the Middle East, and has passed through multiple handling stages before it reaches you. The time from harvest to your cup could be months or years.
Our mullein is grown on or near our farm in Opp, Alabama. We harvest leaves as they mature through the season, a few from each plant rather than stripping it down. Mullein is a biennial, and we let the second-year plants complete their cycle and set seed. They seed themselves around the farm naturally, which means we're not depleting anything. We dry at low temperatures to preserve the volatile oils and plant actives, and we package here. We know which field it came from.
Read more about what separates wild harvested mullein from commercial supplements
When to See a Doctor
Mullein is good for everyday breathing support, congestion, a seasonal cough, general lung maintenance. We believe in these plants and use them ourselves. But if a cough hangs on for more than two or three weeks, you're running a real fever, or something just feels off, go get checked. Herbs and doctors aren't opposites. There's a time for traditional remedies and a time to call the professionals. Trust your instincts on which is which.
Safety and Common Sense
- Strain your tea well. The fine leaf hairs can irritate the throat if they get into the cup. A fine cloth or double-strainer does the job.
- Mullein is well-tolerated by most people at normal tea or tincture amounts.
- If you're pregnant, nursing, or on prescription medications, check with your healthcare provider first.
Mullein Leaf FAQ
What is mullein leaf good for?
Mullein leaf is good for lung and breathing support. It helps loosen and clear mucus, soothes irritated airways, eases a cough, and supports recovery from chest colds and congestion. A lot of smokers and ex-smokers lean on it to help their lungs clear. People have used it the same way for around 2,000 years.
What is mullein used for?
Mullein is used mostly for the lungs, clearing congestion, calming a cough, and soothing the airways. The flowers have their own uses too, like mullein flower oil for earaches. But the leaf, and its long reputation for breathing and lung health, is what most people come looking for.
What are the benefits of mullein tincture?
A mullein tincture gives you the same lung and airway support as the tea in a faster, more concentrated form. It absorbs quickly, travels well, and suits people who would rather not brew a cup every time. We make ours in grain alcohol. Take 1 to 2 dropperfuls in water up to three times a day.
Can you take mullein every day?
For most people, yes, at normal tea or tincture amounts. A common approach is one cup of tea a day for general upkeep, and 2 to 3 cups when symptoms are active. If you're pregnant, nursing, or taking prescription medications, check with your healthcare provider first.
Our Mullein Products
- Dried Mullein Leaf. Wildcrafted and farm-grown, for tea. The simplest and most traditional form.
- Mullein Extract. Concentrated tincture in grain alcohol, for acute support or those who prefer not to brew tea.
- Bronchial Support Tea. Mullein combined with elecampane, lobelia, thyme, licorice, peppermint, and ginger, for deeper lung support.
- Herbal Smoking Blend. A traditional tobacco-free preparation built around mullein.
Proud member of Sweet Grown Alabama
These statements have not been evaluated by the FDA. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.