Mullein, Memory, and Mountain Air: A Herbalist’s Reflection

One of the most beautiful aspects of being both a herbalist and a NICU nurse is how often the threads of life and healing intertwine in unexpected ways. A while back, I met Claire an elderly woman with a kind soul, a wealth of stories, and a deep love for plants.

We connected quickly, bonded not only through her search for relief from her chronic respiratory issues but also through shared experiences one of her children had spent time in the NICU, and as a NICU nurse myself, we spoke the same language of tiny hearts and quiet strength.

Among all the remedies we worked with, Claire’s favorite was Mullein (Verbascum thapsus). It held both a practical and nostalgic place in her life. She remembered gathering it as a young mother, drying its leaves and flowers, and preparing teas and tinctures to help her children through winter coughs. When I gave her mullein again, it was like handing her a piece of her past—and it worked. Her breath would come a little easier, her cough would quiet. Her eyes always softened when she spoke of it.

Last Sunday, I was hiking in the mountains of Cataluña, close to the French border. It was a very windy day, the kind that makes you feel alive and introspective at once. The landscape was open just swaying grass as far as the eye could see. And then I saw it: a single mullein plant, standing tall in the wind. I paused beside it and whispered a quiet thank you for Claire, for the breath it brought her, for the stories she shared. It was a small but sacred moment.

Mullein is one of those plants that looks like what it does its soft, fuzzy leaves are a clear signature of its soothing nature. Herbalists call this a doctrine of signatures: the idea that a plant’s physical traits are indicators of its medicinal use. The tiny hairs on mullein’s leaves are no accident they calm irritation and support the mucous membranes. It’s a gentle expectorant and demulcent, easing inflammation while helping the body clear out phlegm.

Traditionally, the leaves and flowers are used in teas and infusions to ease coughs, bronchitis, asthma, and laryngitis. The flowers, when infused into oil, create a beautiful remedy for ear infections (otitis media) especially in children. Mullein oil, often combined with garlic, is one of the oldest and most trusted natural remedies for soothing the pain of earaches.

In energetic terms, mullein is often considered a plant of alignment and courage. It supports the lungs, yes but also the spirit. It invites you to breathe more deeply, to sit up straighter, and to walk through the world with a little more ease.

Claire’s story stays with me, especially in moments like these, when a single plant appears in a quiet place, as if to say, “I’m still here. Keep going.”

And so I do.