Here's a whole Common Mullein plant. They like to grow in dry open fields.
Note the many large leaves.
Common Mullein is a biennial. This means that it takes two years to reach maturity.
This is a photo of a first-year plant.
The leaves are unique: rounded at the ends and very fuzzy.
A view of the leaves along the stalk.
The leaves are very soft and pliable. These are Common Mullein's most distinctive feature. No other plant in Ontario has leaves like these.
Common Mullein flowers are yellow, and those in bloom are scattered along the main stalk.
Typical Common Mullein plant.
This is a very fresh-looking plant, with a few closely-packed flowers.
Common Mullein stalks in a dry field in spring. These stalks are from second year plants that matured the previous summer.
Common Mullein is very useful for starting fires in a survival situation - they are used as a hand-drill. For more information on this, please visit the Wildwood Survival website, fire from handdrills section.
The leaves have also been used by some people as a remedy for respiratory infections.
