Origin and history
Mullein, also known as common mullein, is an ancient medicinal plant widely used in European pharmacopoeias. Native to Eurasia and North Africa, it grows wild in dry, sunny, and rocky areas. Used since antiquity, the plant was renowned for its soothing properties on the respiratory tract. The Greeks and Romans already made decoctions from it to calm coughs and sore throats. In the Middle Ages, its tall flower stalks were believed to ward off evil spirits, hence its nickname "Our Lady's Candle." Even today, mullein remains a staple in chest-relieving herbal teas.
