Monster Mullein

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Having traveled all over North America including a year-long, 34,000 mile 40+ state and a couple of Canadien provinces, I've seen this plant nearly everyewhere.
When the nuclear winter comes all that will survive is rats, cockroaches and mullein.
This baby is over 8 feet tall to the tip and those bud heads will be turning a brilliant yellow here shortly. They grow like weeds here, but I find them quite pretty and a nice change of pace in the texture department. Some folks have been known to take the dried stalk and dip them in citronella wax and make bug repelling torchs out of them.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

Well, in your setting that plant looks neat, but down here in Georgia they would think an alien has landed

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Believe me, we have an internal "discussion" every spring as they start popping up on how many to rip out. I'm like, leave 'em all in, the much better half is far less generous.
We compromise and only leave the ones we think add something to the overall landscape.

 

[GeorgiaGirl]

So you mean the just pop up by themselves and grow that big?

WOW!

 

[Mr.Design]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

So you mean the just pop up by themselves and grow that big?

WOW!.

Yup! The scientific name is verbascum and I mean it, they are everywhere.
We're high elevation, about 10 inches of precip per year, a -10 to -20 winter night temp zone, blazing hot sun, etc.. so this is one tough plant. Most plants with wide, velvety leaves except for lamb's ear have a real tough time here.

 

[Willowpondgj]

Don't discount this weed, it has incredible medicinal properties.
Mullein tea is sold in health food stores, it is used as a cough remedy and also a digestive aid for cramps. The flowers have pain relieving properties and are used as a sedative. Externally it is used for inflammations and painful skin conditions. The tea and flowers can be used as a vapor steam for nasal congestion, respiratory congestion. The crushed flowers are used to remove warts and a poultice made from the leaves is used to treat sores and wounds.
This is only a weed if you don't want it where it is growing. It is a wonderful gift if you know how to use it. The seeds are toxic.
You are right to use it as a torch, it is called candle wick, people have used them for wicks for centuries. There are many other uses for this weed. Google it.

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Don't discount this weed, it has incredible medicinal properties.
Mullein tea is sold in health food stores, it is used as a cough remedy and also a digestive aid for cramps. The flowers have pain relieving properties and are used as a sedative. Externally it is used for inflammations and painful skin conditions. The tea and flowers can be used as a vapor steam for nasal congestion, respiratory congestion. The crushed flowers are used to remove warts and a poultice made from the leaves is used to treat sores and wounds.
This is only a weed if you don't want it where it is growing. It is a wonderful gift if you know how to use it. The seeds are toxic.
You are right to use it as a torch, it is called candle wick, people have used them for wicks for centuries. There are many other uses for this weed. Google it..

Thanks for all the good info.
I actually really do like them and do what I can to make them grow.

 

[Morticia]

I've seen those in VT. Hideous plant and I always wondered what it was!

 

[EmptyNest]

Don't discount this weed, it has incredible medicinal properties.
Mullein tea is sold in health food stores, it is used as a cough remedy and also a digestive aid for cramps. The flowers have pain relieving properties and are used as a sedative. Externally it is used for inflammations and painful skin conditions. The tea and flowers can be used as a vapor steam for nasal congestion, respiratory congestion. The crushed flowers are used to remove warts and a poultice made from the leaves is used to treat sores and wounds.
This is only a weed if you don't want it where it is growing. It is a wonderful gift if you know how to use it. The seeds are toxic.
You are right to use it as a torch, it is called candle wick, people have used them for wicks for centuries. There are many other uses for this weed. Google it..

We have 3 in a row growing in the farm field next to our property ...in VA....right now they are about 6 foot high!

 

[Proud Texan]

But can you smoke it?

 

[wendydk]

Actually, yes you can smoke it and it's good for chest infections, asthma and other respiratory disorders....hubs is a medicinal herb freak....

 

[Willowpondgj]

But can you smoke it?

.

Actually, yes you can and it can be used instead of tabacco and is actually a cleansing herb in it's smoked form...so I've read. Native Americans use it as such.

 

[Mr.Design]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.
.

I'm not an innkeeper, I just play one on TV LOL
I'm feeling the waters out now... property is so cheap now that it seems to be an appealing time to get in. Due diligence on different areas, inns for sale, etc. is a pain in the you know what though! Very time consuming... luckily the way things are still going in the RE market, I still have a bit of time.
If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just curious as your inn and mountain pictures look very southwest and I love the southwest

 

[Tim_Toad_HLB]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.
.

I'm not an innkeeper, I just play one on TV LOL
I'm feeling the waters out now... property is so cheap now that it seems to be an appealing time to get in. Due diligence on different areas, inns for sale, etc. is a pain in the you know what though! Very time consuming... luckily the way things are still going in the RE market, I still have a bit of time.
If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just curious as your inn and mountain pictures look very southwest and I love the southwest
.

No problem, I sent it last night to your email.
I'm also happy to share my insights on our experiences weighing either buying an existing B&B 6 years ago or doing a start up like we have done.
I'll only touch briefly on it here to gauge your interest and we can chat offline more about it.
With feathers being ruffled so easily here and with so many members either currently lisitng their places for sale, about too list or seriously contemplating doing so, I wouldn't want my observations of a multi-year process to be misconstrued.
We started the process of deciding to become B&B owners in late 2000. It took until the early spring of 2003 to actually shove ourselves out of our comfortable nest and make the commtiment to do so.
Sold everything we owned including our home, bought a small RV and traveled for a year with our two dogs, two business plans and reams of information on both B&Bs for sale and how to run one.
We physically looked at well over 100 B&Bs for sale from NW British Columbia to Maine to Florida to Southern California and all points in between, so I think I can speak with some insight on the subject.
The number of extraordinary similarities regardless of where we were in the pitfalls and shortcomings of buying an existing B&B were eye-opening to say the least.
In the end, our first choice of locations before even leaving our former home is where we ended up and for more reasons than we could count, we started from scratch.
Let me know if any of my observations are of interest.

 

[wendydk]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.
.

I'm not an innkeeper, I just play one on TV LOL
I'm feeling the waters out now... property is so cheap now that it seems to be an appealing time to get in. Due diligence on different areas, inns for sale, etc. is a pain in the you know what though! Very time consuming... luckily the way things are still going in the RE market, I still have a bit of time.
If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just curious as your inn and mountain pictures look very southwest and I love the southwest
.

No problem, I sent it last night to your email.
I'm also happy to share my insights on our experiences weighing either buying an existing B&B 6 years ago or doing a start up like we have done.
I'll only touch briefly on it here to gauge your interest and we can chat offline more about it.
With feathers being ruffled so easily here and with so many members either currently lisitng their places for sale, about too list or seriously contemplating doing so, I wouldn't want my observations of a multi-year process to be misconstrued.
We started the process of deciding to become B&B owners in late 2000. It took until the early spring of 2003 to actually shove ourselves out of our comfortable nest and make the commtiment to do so.
Sold everything we owned including our home, bought a small RV and traveled for a year with our two dogs, two business plans and reams of information on both B&Bs for sale and how to run one.
We physically looked at well over 100 B&Bs for sale from NW British Columbia to Maine to Florida to Southern California and all points in between, so I think I can speak with some insight on the subject.
The number of extraordinary similarities regardless of where we were in the pitfalls and shortcomings of buying an existing B&B were eye-opening to say the least.
In the end, our first choice of locations before even leaving our former home is where we ended up and for more reasons than we could count, we started from scratch.
Let me know if any of my observations are of interest.
.

Tim said
"The number of extraordinary similarities regardless of where we were in the pitfalls and shortcomings of buying an existing B&B were eye-opening to say the least."
I could not agree more. Size of owners quarters, lack of revenue, FINANCING (ick, that's a whole 'nother thread), even reputation all were stumbling blocks to us buying any of the existing Inns we looked at. While start-ups take awhile to get going, the internet puts you on even footing with the competition pretty quickly if done right, and even allow you to get your toes wet one at a time. And, you can make the place just what you want it to be right off the bat...plus, if Innkeeping doesn't work out, you might still be able to afford to live in the house without going insane.
But, that's just our experience, and I speak just for myself. The down market may allow you to take advantage of just the right deal for an existing Inn. Will you be going it alone?

 

[Mr.Design]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.
.

I'm not an innkeeper, I just play one on TV LOL
I'm feeling the waters out now... property is so cheap now that it seems to be an appealing time to get in. Due diligence on different areas, inns for sale, etc. is a pain in the you know what though! Very time consuming... luckily the way things are still going in the RE market, I still have a bit of time.
If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just curious as your inn and mountain pictures look very southwest and I love the southwest
.

Thanks, Tim. I replied to your e-mail.
Little Blue, yes, I would be going at it alone. Existing inns are appealing in certain areas I've looked due to licensing, but in others they're overpriced. Some people think they're stuff is worth more than it is! I think depending on what area I land in would depend on whether I start from scratch or not. Where are you at?

 

[muirford]

I'm curious about the reasons for a start-up vs. buying an existing business that Little Blue and Tim might have. I think I'll start another thread, though, since we have way moved off the mullein plant...

 

[wendydk]

Aren't they neat looking! Very southwest!
What is your inn, Tim? If you don't mind me asking..

I'll email it to you as long as you reply with yours.
.

I'm not an innkeeper, I just play one on TV LOL
I'm feeling the waters out now... property is so cheap now that it seems to be an appealing time to get in. Due diligence on different areas, inns for sale, etc. is a pain in the you know what though! Very time consuming... luckily the way things are still going in the RE market, I still have a bit of time.
If you don't want to share, that's fine. I was just curious as your inn and mountain pictures look very southwest and I love the southwest
.

Thanks, Tim. I replied to your e-mail.
Little Blue, yes, I would be going at it alone. Existing inns are appealing in certain areas I've looked due to licensing, but in others they're overpriced. Some people think they're stuff is worth more than it is! I think depending on what area I land in would depend on whether I start from scratch or not. Where are you at?
.

The Northwest lower Peninsula of Michgan.