There’s a giant in my yard. Great mullein: the queen towering above all. Her spike can be as tall as 2 meters (mine’s 2.5 meters and I’m quite proud about that), with furry leaves that give her nicknames like “cowboy toilet paper,” “old man’s blanket,” and “feltwort.” Nice. Feltwort? What about figwort, the name of the plant family to which Ms. Mullein belongs? But why, oh why, are so many plants worts?
Hint: People thought that because figwort flowers resemble throats they could treat thyroid problems.
Meanwhile, emus roam the plains in search of a juicy berry. Birds get drunk inside pollen-filled umbrellas. And… the drama of separation: Do you think the figworts miss their plantain siblings?Learn more about the Figwort Family.