Plantain

Plantain is one of nature's most common and most overlooked healing plants. Found growing wild across fields, roadsides, and even backyards, this humble leaf has been used for generations for its soothing and diuretic properties.

Externally, plantain has a healing, antibiotic, and styptic (blood stanching) effect when applied to sores and wounds. It is commonly known to neutralize the toxins of insect and snakebites.

What Is Plantain?

Plantain, most commonly known as broadleaf plantain (Plantago major), is native to Europe and parts of Asia. This perennial plant produces greenish flowers and large, oval-shaped leaves that can be eaten raw or cooked. Many different types of plantain can also be found throughout Canada.

What Are the Benefits of Plantain?

There are several types of plantain, but they all share the same core properties. The two primary types are common plantain (Plantago major), which has an almost circular leaf, and lesser-used lance-leaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), which has narrower leaves. The wider the leaf, the greater the diuretic effect.

For internal use, plantain has soothing, cooling properties that are traditionally valued across a wide range of uses, including inflammation, diarrhea, and excessive menstrual discharge.

How Do You Use Plantain?

Make an infusion using one ounce of the herb per pint of water. Plantain acts as a diuretic and is traditionally used to soothe the lungs and urinary tract. Fresh leaves can also be applied topically, traditionally used on minor wounds, sores, and insect bites.

Disclaimer

Healing is completely dependent upon your faith in the Creator of these herbs. There is no healing power in these plants; the power is in the One who created them.