User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

plantain

I've been looking at a weed growing in my lawn and especially along the fence line, letting it get bigger so I could figure out what it is. Now that it put up flower spikes, I realized it is plantain. It is the narrowleaf plantain, which is much taller than the flat round leafed common plantain I was familiar with.

Narrowleaf plantain:

Image


common plantain:

Image

But apparently the narrowleaf, being in the same Plantago genus, has the same properties of being edible, nutritious, and a great healing herb, especially for bites and stings and sores.
The plant is one of nine sacred herbs mentioned in the ancient Lacnunga (‘Remedies’), a collection of Anglo-Saxon medical texts. During the 1500s and 1600s, it was used by Europeans for everything from dog bites and boils to fevers and the flu [1]. The major components of plantain are iridoid glycosides (particularly aucubin), mucilage,and tannins.... Due to its long history of use across the globe, and recent confirmation of some of its therapeutic properties, plantain leaf is now used primarily as an herbal remedy for upper respiratory tract health.
https://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natu ... tain-leaf/

Plantain is listed in an article called "the five healthiest backyard weeds."
Plantain has a nutritional profile similar to dandelion — that is, loaded with iron and other important vitamins and minerals. The leaves are tastiest when small and tender, usually in the spring but whenever new shoots appear after being cut back by a lawnmower. The shoots of the broadleaf plantain, when green and tender and no longer than about four inches, can be described as a poor-man's fiddlehead, with a nutty, asparagus-like taste. Pan-fry in olive oil for just a few seconds to bring out this taste.
- See more at: https://www.livescience.com/15322-health ... CeToH.dpuf -

Given how much of it there is in my yard, I will never starve! :) But I really like having some handy for a bee sting/ mosquito bite poultice.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30504
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

Image

j3707
Green Thumb
Posts: 306
Joined: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:11 pm
Location: Pacific Northwest, Zone 8, 48" annual rainfall, dry summers.

We have them both too...I think they're great.

User avatar
rainbowgardener
Super Green Thumb
Posts: 25279
Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 6:04 pm
Location: TN/GA 7b

I only had the common (flat) plantain where I lived in Ohio. Now I have both, but mostly the taller, narrowleaf plantain. That's why I didn't recognize it at first.

User avatar
applestar
Mod
Posts: 30504
Joined: Thu May 01, 2008 7:21 pm
Location: Zone 6, NJ (3/M)4/E ~ 10/M(11/B)

I use mashed plantain leaf for field remedy for bites and stings all the time. I tend to mix in a peppermint leaf for the aesthetic and antiseptic properties, and have found it to be effective for mosquito bites, ant bites, bee and wasp stings, saddleback caterpillar stings, and even nettle-leaf stings. Applying immediately prevents or reduces the histamine reaction and resulting welts as well as severity of itchiness and/or pain.

I haven’t had the occasion, but it is also said to be effective for minor spider and snake bites.

Today, Ugh, first dug-in tick of the season. :x

Now *I* need the plantain/peppermint remedy ...but I can use the rubbing alcohol tincture instead. I highly recommend making some for your first aid kit. ;)

MaLiorzh
Full Member
Posts: 50
Joined: Fri May 18, 2018 8:08 am
Location: Brittany / Breizh / Bretagne 9a

This is a recipe I've tried with broad leafed plantain don't see why it shouldn't work with other types: https://www.eattheweeds.com/white-mans-l ... lantain-2/

Plantago Side Dish

This is a winner! Broadleaf Plantain leaves boiled for 4 minutes in salted water then placed in ice water right away. Seasoning: 1 tablespoon sesame oil, 1 tablespoon soy, 1 garlic clove and, in my case because I didn’t have sesame seeds I used roasted white sage seeds. Mix and let rest for 5 minutes. Super yum! The plantain has a bit the texture and transparency of a seaweed.



Return to “Herb Gardening Forum”