Plantain
Botanical: Plantago major (LINN.)
Family: N.O. Plantaginaceae
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Common names: broad-leaved
plantain, ripple grass, waybread, slan-lus, waybroad, snakeweed, cuckoo's
bread, englishman's foot, white man's foot, buckhorn plantain, dog's ribs, hock
cockle, lance-leaved plantain, rub grass, dooryard plantain, round-leaved
plantain, (Anglo-Saxon) weybroed, Che Qian Zi (China), Breitwegerich (German),
Tanchagem-maior (Portuguese), Llantén común (Spanish), Llantén major (Spanish)
Parts Used---Root, leaves, flower-spikes.
Growth & Habitat --- A perennial "weed" that can be found almost
anywhere in North America and much of Europe. You probably have some in your
backyard! Plantain is thought to be indigenous to Eurasia. It will grow in sun
to shade, and in almost any soil - plantain is very adaptable. Plantain spreads
by seeds.
Plantain is a low-growing, green plant with oval, ribbed short-stemmed leaves.
The leaves form basal rosettes which tend to hug the ground. The leaves may
grow up to about 6" long and 4" wide, but tend to vary greatly in
size depending on their soil and light conditions. Plantain sends up a leafless
flower stock in summer/fall - the stalks can be up to ten inches tall.
There are over 200 species in the plantain family, and they are found
worldwide. Many have herbal uses. Plantago major is the most common one in
North America, but Plantago lanceolata can also be found. Both have the same
medicinal uses, and are very similar in appearance. Plantago major has wide
rounded leaves, with a flowering spike covered with small nubby seeds; Plantago
lanceolata has longer, slender leaves, and a mostly bare flowering stem, with a
conelike cluster of flowers on the top.
(Please note that plantain - the starchy, banana-like fruit,
is completely different and not related to the plantain "weed" we are
talking about!)
Plantain is edible - harvest the
young, tender leaves for use in a salad, or steamed and used as a spinach
substitute. The leaves do get tough quickly, so make sure to harvest only the
youngest leaves. The immature flower stalks may be eaten raw or cooked. If
you're really adventuresome, you can harvest the seeds. They are said to have a
nutty flavor and may be parched and added to a variety of foods or ground into
flour. The leaves, seeds and roots can all be made into an herbal tea.
Plantain was brought to the US and
also to New Zealand by European settlers who valued it for it's culinary and
medicinal properties. The settlers seemed to leave the plant wherever they
went, thus earning it the name "White Man's Foot' or "Englishman's
Foot" by the natives of both countries.
Plantain has been used medicinally
by Europeans for centuries. Herbals dating from the 1500's and 1600's are full
of recipes and uses for plantain. It was considered to be almost a panacea - a
cure-all, and a quick search shows that is has historically been recommended as
a treatment for just about everything, up to and including dog bites, ulcers,
ringworm, jaundice, epilepsy, liver obstructions, and hemorrhoids! Plantain was
so commonly known it is even found referenced in works by both Chaucer and
Shakespeare.
Plantain is usually plentiful and
can be easily harvested anytime from early spring until frost. Please do be
careful where you harvest it - roadsides are notoriously dirty and dusty, and
ditches are often sprayed with herbicides. Leave a spot in your backyard where
you allow it to grow, and you can harvest your own all growing season! If your
neighbors think you are crazy, let them know that plantain is a food source for
some friendly wildlife such as butterfly caterpillars, and that the seeds are a
food source for many varieties of birds.
Plantain is very high in beta
carotene (A) and calcium. It also provides ascorbic acid (C), and vitamin K.
Among the more notable chemicals found in plantain are allantion, apigenin,
aucubin, baicalein, linoleic acid, oleanolic acid, sorbitol, and tannin.
Together these constituents are thought to give plantain mild
anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, anti-hemorrhagic, and expectorant actions.
Acubin has been reported in the Journal Of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin.
Allantoin has been proved to promote wound healing, speed up cell regeneration,
and have skin-softening effects.
Modern medical research is proving
to uphold many of the historical uses of plantain - especially as a wound healer, and as a treatment for lung conditions such as bronchitis or
asthma. Medicinally, plantain is astringent,
demulcent, emollient, cooling, vulnerary, expectorant, antimicrobial,
antiviral, antitoxin, and diuretic. Plantain is approved by the German
Commission E (a sort of German "FDA" that studies and regulates herbs
and herbal uses) for internal use to ease coughs and mucous membrane irritation
associated with upper respiratory tract infections as well as topical use for
skin inflammations. Two Bulgarian clinical trials have suggested that plantain
may be effective in the treatment of chronic bronchitis.
Methods of Use: The
German Commission E officially recommends using 1/4-1/2 teaspoon (1-3 grams) of
the leaf daily in the form of tea
made by steeping the herb in 1 cup (250 ml) of hot water for 10-15 minutes
(making three cups (750 ml ) per day). The fresh
leaves can be applied directly three or four times per day to minor
injuries, dermatitis, and insect stings. Syrups
or tinctures, approximately 1/2
teaspoon (2-3 ml) three times per day, can also be used, particularly to treat
a cough. Finally, 1/2-1 1/4 teaspoons (2-6 grams) of the fresh plant can be juiced and taken in three evenly
divided oral administrations throughout the day. As with all herbal medicines,
you are your own best doctor - listen to your body and pay attention to its
interaction with the herb, and you will undoubtedly figure out your own best
uses and dosages.
Plantain is not associated with any
common side effects and is thought to be safe for children Plantain is classed
as "able to be safely consumed when used appropriately" by the
American Herbal Retailers Association. Some preliminary research does show,
however, that some allergy sufferers may have a reaction to plantain pollen, so
if you feel this may be a problem for you, you may want to only use the
plantain leaves for your herbal preparations.
One of plantain's most common uses
is as a poultice for stings, bites, scrapes and rashes. The
simplest way to harness plantain's healing powers is to crush a few fresh
leaves, and apply to the affected area. Replace fresh leaves as necessary. The
fresh plantain "juice" takes the pain away and seems to work wonders
at staunching blood flow and closing wound edges. It's also wonderfully
refreshing and soothing to sunburn.
Plantain infusion (tea) can also be used as a soothing wash for sunburn, windburn, rashes, or wounds.
To make a plantain infusion, simply add a small handful of fresh plantain
leaves to a cup or two of water, and bring to a gentle boil. Turn off heat, and
let steep, then strain out the leaves. The infusion is best when fresh,
although it can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days.
A favorite way to use plantain is in
an herbally infused oil. Gently fill
a container with fresh plantain leaves that have been lightly bruised or
crushed. (Dried plantain can be used - if you are using dried plant material,
you only need to fill the jar one-half full). Cover the leaves with oil - any
vegetable oil will do, cover the container, and let sit in the sun for a couple
of weeks. The will turn a beautiful dark green color. Strain out the leaves and
you have a lovely herbal oil to use. It's wonderful to soften, soothe and heal
any manner of skin conditions. Make an herbal salve from this oil -
simply add 1-2 oz. melted beeswax to warmed infused oil. Stir over low heat
until the beeswax and oil are uniformly combined, and then pour into clean jars
or tubs.
Susan Weed recommends using plantain
oil on babies and small children instead
of lotions or Vaseline. Natural vegetable oil that has been infused with
the gentle, healing essence of plantain is far healthier to put on a baby's
delicate skin than chemical-laden lotions or petroleum by-products. She also
recommends using whole, clean, gently crushed fresh plantain leaves directly on
a baby's diaper rash as an overnight
poultice. This will help heal common diaper rash, as well as a yeast-infection
diaper rash. A plantain oil or salve can also be an excellent cure
for diaper rash or cradle cap.
It dries well; the dried herb makes
and excellent infusion and can be used to make an herbally infused oil that is
almost as potent as the oil made from fresh leaves.
I learned from the first Native American herbal guide that I went into the desert with that the natives always ask the plant if it is OK to harvest "her" and they thank her for the gift of healing that she will give. I look for plants that are healthy, that have a high frequency when I am near them, and choose plants that have their medicinal constituents high in them (prime for medicine). Creosote (Chaparral) should be a rich green color, but due to the drought from rain there were many plants too dry for medicine. You can see the resin on the leaves if they are strong, and I like to pick them prior to flowers and the puff balls that come after the flowers because the energy is high in the leaves at that time. I only harvest the tender ends - which saves me time from picking out the wood when I get home.
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