Plantago major
Once known as “white man’s footprint” plantago major or broadleaf plantain can be found prolifically across various continents. It is said that where ever settlers (and of course colonizers) stepped a trail of this plant was left behind. With this came a distrust of this unfamiliar plant by indigenous communities. And rightfully so.
This plant was foreign to, for example- indigenous people of North America.
This is referenced in Robin Wall Kimmerer’s “Braiding Sweetgrass.”
She says “at first the Native people were distrustful of a plant that came with so much trouble trailing behind.”
She goes on to write “when it became clear that white man’s footstep woud be staying on Turtle Island, they began to learn about its gifts…the people became glad for its constant presence when they learned that the leaves, when they are rolled or chewed to a poultice make a fine first aid for cuts, burns, and especially insect bites. Every part of the plant is useful. Those tiny seeds are good medicine for digestion. The leaves can halt bleeding right away and heal wounds without infection.”
And so, this once feared plant would go on to be considered naturalized, and revered as medicine across continents & especially in the Americas.
Plantago has been one plant I have grown very fond of. This medicinal plant has felt like a thread for me. One I look for in all of the countries I travel to. A familiar face and friend I can trust and lean on for even their presence alone.
This plant is very versatile- healing on an internal and external level.
Plantago is most widely known for healing skin and wounds.
But what occurs on the surface also heals beneath the surface and dermal level.
Plantain leaf and seeds are great for digestion, and can help to fight bacteria from things like food poisoning. While plantago major is not the plant most commercially used for psyllium husk- the seeds do make for an amazing source of nutrients and fiber.
On a hike and have an insect bite? Just look around, and you will likely find this plant friend. Once identified, chew up their leaves for a potent poultice- placing on the insect bite. And thus, soothing irritated and inflamed tissues while fighting bacteria.
While we are talking here about plantago major with the more broad leaves, where plantago major isn’t- plantago lanceolata (narrow leaf plantain) likely is.
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Identification:
Leaves: Broadly ovate to elliptical, dull green, wavy - grows in a rosette pattern
Flowers: Grow along a singular stem that comes from the center or the rosette
Seeds: Easily dispersed after flowering and when dry can be pulled right off of the singular stem from the center of the rosette
Parts Used:
Leaf and seed
Herbal Energetics:
leaf- moistening, cooling and drying
seed- moistening
Tissue State Indications:
dry/atrophy, heat/excitation, damp/stagnation, lax/atony
Tastes:
sweet & salty
Herbal Actions:
atringent, vulnerary, digestive, antimicrobial, demulcent
Disclaimer: These articles are for educational purposes only, they are not a substitution for professional medical advice, and as the reader you are responsible for your own health decisions.
