Mullein Leaf cut (Verbascum thapsus)

Before cotton wicks were cheap, the dried stalks of mullein were dipped in fat and lit as torches, which earned it the name Hag’s Taper.

Origin & Traditional Use

Mullein is a tall biennial with thick, felted leaves and a single spike of yellow flowers. Its leaf down was used as lamp wicking and tinder, the leaves were laid in shoes for warmth, and it was traditionally used in folk herbalism for the chest and throat.

Uses by Tradition

Witchcraft & Folk Magick

• Carried or kept in the home as a protective herb against nightmares and ill-wishing.
• Tucked into shoes or pockets for courage and steadiness.
• Burned or laid on the altar in rites for the dead.

Hoodoo & Rootwork

• Powdered mullein is a well-known stand-in for graveyard dirt, used where taking soil from a cemetery isn’t possible.
• Added to protection packets and mojo bags.

Demonology & Black Magick

• Used as graveyard dust in workings that call on the dead to bind, harry or curse a target.

A Simple Working

• Take a small cloth bag and a pinch of mullein leaf.
• Add a pinch of rosemary and a few grains of salt.
• Breathe on the contents and name what you want kept out of your house.
• Tie the bag closed with red thread.
• Hang it above your bed or behind the front door.
• Replace the herbs when they turn brittle and dusty.

Pairs Well With

• Rosemary: a second house-protection herb that blends well in packets.
• Patchouli leaf: deepens the earthy, graveyard character in dark workings.
• Black salt: adds banishing force to protective sprinkles.
• A black chime candle: dress and roll it in powdered mullein for work with the dead.

Lore & History

Some writers have suggested mullein was the moly Hermes gave Odysseus against Circe’s magick, though the identification is disputed. In medieval Europe it was believed to drive away evil spirits, and witches were said to use the taper-like stalks to light their rites.

What You Receive

Cut and sifted dried mullein leaf, available in 1 oz, 2 oz and 1 lb.