PLANT PROFILE: GREAT PLANTAIN by HERB CLUB
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PLANT PROFILE: GREAT PLANTAIN
by HERB CLUB LA 🌿
Today we’re going to meet plantain and nope, Plantago Major aka Great Plantain is not related to plantain chips at all. It’s actually a potent but unassuming weed. Always at the ready to soothe itches, rashes, stings, snake bites as well as heal inflammation, colds, hemorrhoids and bladder infections!
Plantain is an herbaceous perennial. Meaning, it does not become woody and it can live for a few years changing slowly over time. It has a rosette of leaves. Meaning it has a radial leaf structure that grows close to the ground. Leaves are oval shaped with a very long petiole (the stem part of the leaf). One of the more distinguishing characteristics of a plantain leaf is its pronounced veins. Usually five to nine veins in a mature leaf. The Great Plantain can become as big as 12 inches in diameter. Small brown flowers grow from a stem at the middle of the rosette which can get a couple feet tall in the right growing conditions.
Plantains are wind-pollinated. Each plant produces up to 20,000 seeds in its lifetime! The Great Plantain arrived in the Americas on the soles of European shoes and planted itself throughout the continent, hence its nickname "Whiteman's Footprint". The Native Americans observed that it followed the white man, springing up underneath his feet wherever he walked. Soon adopted into their herbal medicine, Plantain leaves were used by Native Americans to heal wounds, reduce inflammation, staunch bleeding and to soothe stings, burns and rashes. They were taken internally for many complaints including coughs, colds, bronchitis, diarrhea, gastritis, hemorrhoids and bladder infections. They carried the powdered root with them as an antidote to snake bites and to draw out other poisonous toxins. Native to Europe and parts of Asia, Plantain was considered one of the nine sacred herbs by the Anglo Saxons who celebrated it as the “mother of all herbs”. - Indigo
Herbs I remember when Plantago Major was reintroduced into my life. I went looking for Long Leaf Plantain to make an herb-infused oil but couldn’t find any in my nearby wild areas. So I did some research and it turns out the kind of Plantain that was growing around me was Great Plantain. I learned that it likes to grow near dandelions and other wild weeds. At that moment I had a flashback to elementary school. In Southern California, Great Plantain, dandelion and white clover like to grow together in school fields. So off I went to the nearest family park that does not use pesticides and I looked all around the parameter of the park. I felt out of luck until I started looking closer to the playground. I was overcome with joy when I found it! And yes- it was growing near dandelions and white clover. Looking down at my feet at the Plantain took me back to my younger days. Somehow it makes beautiful sense that Plantago Major should be around looking after the children. It is crazy to me that Plantain is considered a weed. Once you know what a power medicine it is. You will never see it again.
BENEFITS OF PLANTAIN ✨
🍵 Immune Health
Plantain leaves are high in immune boosting vitamins A and C. The high tannin content and astringent properties reduce inflammation and combat infection by depriving bacteria of nutrients.
🪢 Digestive Health
The high mucilage content of Plantain leaves, along with their anti-inflammatory properties make this a great herb for many digestive health.
🧶 Gastrointestinal Health
According to the Russian Ministry of Health, Plantain is a great treatment for chronic colitis, acute gastritis , enteritis and enterocolitis.
🧴 Skin Health
When used topically, Plantain is an excellent wound vulnerary with the power to stop bleeding and heal bruises, including puncture wounds, bug bites, bee, wasp, and nettle stings, boils and ulcers. When treating cuts and other open wounds, it not only staunches the bleeding, it also prevents infection by removing dirt, and as an antiseptic it disinfects the wound.
A unique trait that sets Plantain leaf apart from most other tissue-healing plants is its intense drawing ability. It draws out the poison from snake bites, animal bites, insect bites, bee stings, wasp stings and nettle stings. This same drawing action makes it highly effective in splinter removal, and in bringing blisters or spots to a head. It also contains a compound known as allantoin – a powerful skin soothing agent that encourages cell growth. Plantain can be used to provide natural relief from sunburn, to treat acne and rosacea and to keep the skin healthy, glowing and blemish free.
🌬️ Respiratory Health
One of the most popular traditional uses for this herb was to support lung health. Plantain leaves are rich in mucilage, which exerts protective and demulcent activity on the respiratory tract. It moistens and coats the airways with a protective layer which reduces the irritation that causes a dry cough. I hope this long yet informative plant profile can provide a new love for plantain.