Plantain, Plantago major

Plantain is an herb that looks, well, a bit plain. It's so commonplace in fields, gardens, cultivated and uncultivated lawns alike, that you have likely seen it but overlooked it.

The two prevalent types of plantain that grow throughout the world are lance leaf and broad leaf. Lance leaf plantain is shaped like a spear, with a flowering stalk that rises from the center. The small white flowers of lance leaf plantain tend to stay at the top of the stalk. Broad leaf plantain has a leaf shape that widens considerably at the middle, tapering at the tip. Broad leaf plantain also have a center flower stalk, but the flowers can reach the midpoint or even travel past the midpoint of the stalk.

Plantain flower and seeds are known as psyllium, a bulking agent that will move the bowels and relieve constipation. Plantain is also known as nature's band aid. If plantain is growing nearby and you happen to get a surface wound, bug bite, or slight burn, use it as a band aid. Break off a piece of the leaf, rub it in your hands to bruise it slightly and put it on the wound. Hold it in place with another plantain leaf or cloth.

Be cautious before using wild plantain for medicinal purposes. Plantain is considered a pervasive, pesky weed and people resort to using chemicals to eradicate the plant. It's best to use plantain that grows in your own yard.

Try It Out

Try to find the plantain in a landscape by looking for the flowering stalk. When you find it, look at the leaf to determine if it's lance leaf or broad leaf.

Take a bath with plantain leaf for relief from skin irritations or hemorrhoids.

General Benefits

• Flushes toxins from the blood
• Detoxifies the colon and digestive tract
• Soothes sores
• Relieves mouth ulcers if used as a mouthwash
• Dries out mucus membranes that are prone to infection
• Aids recovery from illness if taken as a tea

Properties

#Wound-Healing, #Antiseptic, #Moistening, #Bulking-Agent, #Detoxifying, #Silica