Mullein or Punchon - Verbascum thapsus - Scrophulariaceae (figwort) family

Mullein is a broad leafed plant that somewhat resembles tobacco and is plentiful in parts of New Mexico. Mullein has been used to treat pulmonary problems by breathing the smoke from the leaves or by steeping the leaves in whiskey to make a drink to relieve symptoms of asthma. It was reported that during the Civil War, people who lived in the Confederate States suffering from lung trouble would be treated with a syrup from mullien leaves and cherry bark. The high cost and scarcity of commercially prepared medicines at that time caused many people to turn to medicinal remedies. In addition to its medicinal uses, mullein has been used as a substitute for tobacco. Its flowering stalks have been dipped in tallow to be used as candles.