roadsidia

here in the north, mullein grows from ground level to about 2 meters tall each summer. they look like miniature, armless saguaro cactuses. in winter, their sturdy stems withstand the wet snows, and stand  tall and straight out of the meter-deep snow along most of our roadsides. they also happen to be among the most important and versatile fire starters in this land of cold and snow. their leaves make good tinder. their stalks make good flint. their seedheads make good kindling, and their roots make good sockets for a bow drill. if you don’t know what any of that means, i feel sorry for you. you have never felt the creep of deep cold, relieved gradually by a fire built of elements that had nothing to do with petrochemical infrastructure.

mullein (verbascum)