During an afternoon stroll I came across this guy:
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipYrAUzKu0OhsCWN0rsyUovfd3EC6ApOL1vl1Een13szzGgW933qebTkNvDAj0QA82zwaRlwMAcJL_A6CGKl-3p0F-nzWmIGXecTIoCliqnxvztNAXgXomktPo89xgII4Eay6jKQ/s580/20150604_131910.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRjrPnSW7u7H5CDkODeVcl51ws4EHYMLZHX8GArekFWNXkXZry9alGZwgeU8T_F7f_S1jLTSskE5u0zFok7Hf4UKQGNqeOmHXMFjNgVroT7Aq851nMohf1GjWYgr2nmsPLeF9npg/s580/20150604_132224.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgsIDHL-_bRzNvUmkts7rEGRpI-LJeG_c8aGbJZ-RqRmzXyLol7gRnGU9mvxBjl6sWbFnaBEHV_-wlhadp-qoUiMVUxpjAJRbUil2bRg0QRhT5UxUJuiK7zSaPhrzWIt048xearcg/s580/20150604_132312.jpg)
It's hard to appreciate from the photos, but the leaves are super soft. More like decorative felt than normal leaf type material. It reminded me of lamb's ear, but I didn't recall seeing lamb's ear growing so tall.
That's because it's not lamb's ear. A quick Google Images Search set me straight: it's wild mullein. Another mystery solved: first year mullein grows as a rosette on the ground, whereas second year mullein grows in to a tall plant. That explains the two varieties I spotted growing.
While mullein is categorized as a weed, it actually has quite a few uses, including: as a medicinal tea, for primitive fishing and for primitive fire starting. And the most important use: as emergency backwoods toilet paper.
I'm coming to appreciate that weed is just another word for "grows really, really easily." Which I usually like in a plant.
Next time I see some mullein I'll have to try to harvest some of the leaves for tea. It's got to taste better than the "tea" I picked up in Japan.
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