Weed ID Needed

[k0xxx]

I'm just curious, but can anyone tell me what the name of this weed is? The tallest in the picture was just over 6 feet high, and it's now over 8 feet tall. The chickens love these things! Every so often we cut one off near the ground and toss it into the run. Thanks.

 

[dacjohns]

It's mullein. It is considered a non native invasive species. It likes disturbed soils. I think it is a biennial, puts up a basal rosette the first year and the flower stalk the second year.

At least it sure looks like mullein. Ours don't grow that tall. Does it have yellow flowers and are the leaves fuzzy?

 

[Javamama]

Ditto, mullein. Also a great medicinal herb for the glands.

 

[savingdogs]

thank you for sharing that and identifying it.

I have it too. My soil must be plenty "disturbed"....or perhaps that is me.

 

[k0xxx]

Thanks guys! Yes, the leaves are fuzzy and they do produce yellow flowers. Now that I know that it is an invasive species, I'll grow something else for the chickens. After reading about the herbal properties though, I may just keep a few around. Thanks again!

 

[Shiloh Acres]

Wow, good to know. I have the first year plants around I think. The goats don't eat them. Haven't tried with the chickens, but I DO like to use the herb, so I think I'll keep a few.

I really need a weed book.

 

[patandchickens]

I don't see any real reason to forego deliberately growing mullein -- it's an introduced weedy species, sure, but I've never seen anywhere that it's a big ecological *problem* (maybe somewhere like that exists but it is not true of most of E North America anyhow).

And in any case, you can just feed the seed stalks to the chickens and then there is no question of it reseeding itself elsewhere

Really the stuff is basically harmless AFAIK (ecologically speaking). I leave it be most places if it appears in some of my flowerbeds, as it is quite attractive IMO (I wish it were perennial instead of just biennial -- there are perennial tall yellow fuzzyleaved mulleins but they're branched and weird looking). Never thought of feeding it to the chickens, will have to try that

JMHO, good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[baymule]

Mullein is what my grandfather's mother used for fever medicine. My grandfather described "spring fever" in what he later said as an adult sounded more like malaria and said his mother would make a tea from the mullein leaves. He said it was bitter and tasted bad. After drinking it, his mother would wrap him in quilts and he would sweat it out, wake up the next morning and be ok.

I have never taken it myself, just passing on what poor people in the backwoods used for medicine in the early 1900's. You might want to research your "weeds" before you pull them up.

 

[Denim Deb]

Another name for it is hunter's toilet paper, or flannel leaf. I'm sure you can figure out why.

 

[Wifezilla]

Well you should know what weeds you are grabbing for emergency use We always used to hear stories about the city folk grabbing poison ivy....LOL