Mullein is an herb that grows wild all around us here. It can be used as an herbal remedy for all sorts of things like respiratory problems, earache, lymphatic issues, inflammation, pain, and many more.  It can also be used to make a vanilla-ish extract.  I won’t get in to how to treat these ailments, but there are links listed at the end.

What we will get into is how I harvested some mullein flowers and made an herbal infusion used to treat earaches.

First, collect the flowers from the top of the stalks.  These pretty little yellow flowers bloom over a month, so you have some time.  I just popped them off the stalks and threw them in my bucket.  Yes, it’s an old cardboard container.  Oatmeal bins work great for collecting flowers.

Once you have all your flowers, put them in a glass jar with a lid.  Add oil (I used olive oil, there are many other options) until the herb is completely covered plus a little more.  I add the extra oil because next I will add some chopped garlic (garlic has wonderful antibacterial properties).   The extra oil will cover the garlic as well.  Once the garlic is added, gently stir the herb mixture with a non metal spoon (metal interferes with herbs).  This gets the bubbles out and coats the herb and garlic thouroughly.  You can add more oil at this point to ensure you herb is totally submerged.

Put the lid on the jar and let it set in a warm place.  The warmth better allows for the herb to infuse into the oil.  Label it well!  I write what herb it is, if the herb is dry, the medium it is infusing into, and the date I started it.

Let it set for at least a month, less would work but the benefit would be less.  If you are in a hurry, some people infuse ouls in a crock pot at a low heat for a day or so.  If you can leave it to infuse longer, the medicine will get stronger.

Whenever you are ready to use it, strain the herb and garluc out and store it in a dark container to protect your herbal oil.  The sun will  break down the infusion you made and decrease the potency.

If you get an earache, you can put 7 drops of this oil in yourear a few times a day to clear it up.  I am still learning about herbs, so please do more research before trying this yourself.  There is more information at these websites:

Herbcraft

Kivas Enchantments

Organic Authority

Botanical.com

Another great information source is this book: