What we thought was Lamb's Ear early this spring ..... became giant Great Mullein as the summer progressed.
March 28, 2011. The leaves are velvety and the plant is growing close to the ground. That light greenish grayish color is what made us think it was Lamb's Ear.
May 5, the plant is slightly taller but is still very close to the ground and appears to be fanning out
And here we are on June 2. The center is starting its upward growth..
June 6
By June 30 the plants are starting to show some height.
On July 7 the Yucca is in full bloom and makes a great partner to the Mullein.
July 17. The plants are getting tall, and starting to branch out at the top.
August 31.The plants are filling out and growing more stalks of flowers.
Sept 6.
We didn't take the measuring tape out, but it looks like they are twice George's height - totaling 12 ft.
Below is the head of the one George is holding to the right....
This is the head with flowers. The birds and bees love them.
Well, our neighbors say we're nuts for not chopping these down because a new plant will grow everywhere a flower drops.
These plants grown in field and along the roadside all around us. This is the most Mullein we have seen growing since we've lived here.... perhaps the wet spring... perhaps a winter ahead with chest congestion for many. You see the leaves of this plant are known as Gramma's Velvet (among many other names - see website reference below) and when brewed as tea they relieve congested lungs and when the leaves are burned, Asthma sufferers get relief inhaling the smoke.
Here's the most amazing thing of all... there is no water in that gulch... These plants have reached this growth with only those showers we had this spring. That's kept them going all this time.
This is a very impressive website that talks about the many many medicinal properties of this glorious "weed", we have growing in our midst.
http://www.altnature.com/gallery/mullien.htm
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
/joB
