(Plantago major): Very Common, Very Powerful
Broadleaf plantain is one of the most widespread plants on Earth. Found in driveways, fields, lawns, and cracks in the sidewalk, it’s often dismissed as a pesky weed. Yet this humble green rosette is both nutritious food and a versatile medicine — the kind of plant that generations have relied on when they needed practical, everyday healing.
✦ Food Uses
Edible Leaves
Young spring leaves can be eaten raw in salads; they taste mild, earthy, and slightly bitter.
Older leaves toughen but are excellent cooked — sautéed with garlic, added to soups, or used like spinach.
Dry and powder leaves to sprinkle into smoothies, sauces, or bread dough for a nutrient boost.
Seeds
Tiny seeds (related to psyllium) can be gathered, dried, and used as a natural fiber supplement.
When soaked, they form a mucilaginous gel that helps digestion and supports bowel regularity.
Plantain Chips
Lightly coat young leaves with oil and salt, then bake until crisp. A healthy “wild green” version of kale chips.
Infused Vinegar or Pesto
Blend fresh leaves with olive oil, garlic, nuts, and lemon to make a wild pesto.
Soak leaves in apple cider vinegar for a mineral-rich green vinegar.
✦ Medicine & First Aid
Stings, Bites, Cuts
Fresh leaf poultice (chewed or crushed) draws out venom, reduces swelling, and speeds healing.
Works on bee stings, mosquito bites, ant bites, nettle stings, and small cuts.
Skin Soother
Infuse leaves in oil for 4–6 weeks → strain → use as a base for salves, creams, or lip balms.
Helpful for rashes, sunburn, eczema, and cracked skin.
Respiratory Relief
Plantain tea soothes coughs, sore throats, and inflamed lungs thanks to its demulcent (slippery) quality.
Works well blended with honey, thyme, or mullein.
Digestive Ally
Tea or tincture can calm reflux, gastritis, or stomach ulcers.
The mucilage coats irritated tissues while tannins tighten and tone.
Urinary Tract Support
Traditionally used for urinary tract inflammation; the soothing and diuretic effect eases discomfort.
Drawing Properties
Poultices are also used to draw out splinters, minor infections, or pus from boils.
✦ Easy Recipes
1. Fresh Leaf Poultice
Pick a clean plantain leaf.
Chew lightly (or crush with fingers) until juicy.
Apply directly to sting, bite, or small wound.
Replace with a fresh poultice every 30–60 minutes.
2. Plantain Tea
1–2 tsp dried leaf (or a handful of fresh leaves).
Pour 1 cup boiling water over.
Steep 10–15 minutes.
Strain and drink for coughs, sore throat, or digestive upset.
3. Plantain Oil
Fill a jar loosely with fresh wilted leaves.
Cover with olive or sunflower oil.
Let sit 4–6 weeks (or warm gently in a double boiler for quicker results).
Strain and use directly on skin or as a base for salves.
4. Plantain Salve
Melt 1 part beeswax with 4 parts plantain-infused oil.
Pour into tins/jars and let cool.
Use for cuts, burns, bites, and rashes.
5. Plantain Seed Gel
Collect seeds in late summer.
Soak 1 tsp seeds in ½ cup warm water.
Let sit until gel forms; drink to aid digestion and regulate bowels.
✦ Final Thought
Broadleaf plantain is the definition of “medicine at your doorstep.” It’s free, abundant, and endlessly useful — as food, as a healer, and as a reminder that some of the most powerful plants are also the most common. Next time you see it underfoot, think twice before pulling it out. You might just be uprooting a first aid kit, a superfood, and a wild pantry staple.
Love & Sunshine,
Tricia
