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Articles Archive Index
Issue 1
Plantain Pulls It Out
by Kylie Loynd
Based on a conversation with RavenCroft Garden's Director, Sally King, CCH.
 "One of the things that defines a weed is that it chooses its own place to grow," EagleSong tells me as I arrive at RavenCroft Garden. "It's called free will. I like to be reminded of that," says Sally King. We are outside at RavenCroft Garden looking for plantain. "She is everywhere, and we don't notice her." I'm looking at the garden beds, but Sally is pointing to the path under my feet, where plantain stretches in a lazy trail all the way to the fence line.
Pulling power is its fame. Plantain is known for quick relief of bee and wasp stings and insect bites; it pulls out poison and draws out infection. An excellent first aid remedy, plantain is good for surface abrasions. I tried it out on a wound of my own that had taken too long to heal. It settled down after application, and within a day was less red and puffy.
Plantain Ointment:
Use this ointment to draw out infection and pull out poison. It's a great topical remedy for soothing and healing dry or cracked skin.
To make infused oil: Collect fresh, dark green plantain leaves.* Chop coarsely and fill a clean, dry jar almost to the top. Pour enough olive oil over the leaves to fill the jar. Stir, allowing oil to penetrate all the plant material. Cover with a paper towel and secure to the jar with a rubber band (allows moisture an escape route, reducing the chance of mold or spoiling). Label jar with date and contents. Leave on a cookie sheet for 4-6 weeks (some oil may leak out). Stir occasionally. Observe, smell and sample.
To make ointment: Squeeze oil from leaves. Using 1 ounce of grated beeswax to 1 cup infused oil, melt beeswax in oil over low heat. Pour in a jar and cool.
* Note: Gather plantain early enough in the day that the leaves are still fresh and late enough that the dew is off; you want to make sure they are dry to avoid mold. |
Plantain is easy to identify; its leaves are deep green with five parallel veins or ribs, spreading from the base in a rosette pattern. The two types most commonly found are aptly named: broad leaf plantain (Plantago major) and lance leaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata), which has long thin leaves that look sharp. A hitchhiker, plantain has a sticky seed and travels readily from place to place. Englishman's Foot was one of its early common names, given by Native Americans because everywhere the settlers went plantain seemed to follow. (The tropical banana-like fruit called plantain is a different plant.)
Chew it up and plaster it on. At home, my kids need no further encouragement than the words "spit poultice." A quick introduction to plantain has them finding it everywhere, and we chew it up and apply it directly to our cuts and scrapes. It is fun and fast, and they are ready to reach for it come the inevitable bee sting. EagleSong thinks plantain is a great way to introduce kids to plants. "They can use the plant and feel safe with nature." I am so quick to warn my girls away from unfamiliar plants. My urgency is rarely warranted. It wouldn't take much for us to get to know the plants in our area.
Plantain is circum-global, and grows in most temperate climates. One of nature's great healers, plantain can be found wherever the earth has been scraped bare, be it path or gravel drive. "Plants are what cover the earth so it stays whole and maintains its integrity, just like our skin covers us," says EagleSong.
What's in there, anyway? Herbalist Susun Weed classifies plantain as a nourishing herb: one that is safe, rarely has side-effects and generally can be taken in any quantity for any period of time. The plantain leaf contains vitamin C, vitamin B, folic acid, calcium, iron, potassium and sulfur. Plantain seeds add essential fatty acids (EFAs), vitamin E and more calcium. When young and tender, plantain leaves are tasty; chop them finely and add them to any salad mix. The seeds can be cooked with oatmeal, sprinkled on cereal or salad or added to bread dough.
To harvest plantain, collect the leaves anytime they are growing, but before the flower goes to seed. Broad leaf plantain has a flower stalk that rises from the center. After the flower has gone to seed, you can strip the seeds without removing the stalk from the plant.
 How did I ever miss this plant, so common and so helpful? "We've basically been blinded to the benevolence of nature," says EagleSong. She marvels that people are more willing to put an over-the-counter drug into their bodies than to trust a plant. For me, I think it's more that I've hesitated to trust myself. That feeling is shifting as I get to know these plants.
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Opening Our Wild Hearts to the Healing Herbs
by Gail Faith Edwards
Located near Monroe, WA, RavenCroft Garden is an educational center connecting people, plants and the earth. It is home to founder EagleSong, Community Centered Herbalist (CCH) and Director Sally King, CCH, who work with herbs as a foundation for creating health. Contact EagleSong and Sally at (360) 794-2938 or www.ravencroftgarden.com.
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