We are talking about the herb, plantain; that is quite often mistaken as a weed. You would have seen in your yard and ignored it. You might have even gone to the extent of eliminating it from your garden.

However, there is an astonishing truth behind this little weed. It is, in fact, a herb that is native to Asia and Europe.

There are two variants of Plantain – Broadleaf, and Lance. The leaves of this herb are edible, and you can use it in your salads or cook it. It is normally seen growing in the rocky, poor soil alongside the dandelions.

Hailed once as the “White Man’s Foot”, the goodness and medicinal values of plantains are being unrevealed now.

It had once been the on-the-go solution for the hikers, who were highly susceptible to mosquito bites. This astringent nature of this herb enables it to suck away the toxins from the human body.

Crush the leaves and just place it as a poultice atop the site of the bites or bee stings for immediate relief.

You can also use it as a natural cure for rashes, acne, slivers, and glass splinters. Once you apply the poultice, cover the area with a clean and soft cotton cloth and leave on four to twelve hours for the healing to take place.

You can easily incorporate these weeds in your DIY natural emergency kits to prepare the insect repellent balms.

You can also use it as an ingredient in your homemade skin wash. It is also an effective solution for hemorrhoids.

The leaves and seeds of Plantain have a positive impact on the human digestive system. It has a soothing and healing effect, especially for those whose digestive system is affected by the prolonged use of anti-inflammatory, analgesic, or antibiotics drugs.

Plantain is also beneficial for those who have Celiac disease or food allergies.

While leaves can be used in the form of tea or prepared into soup, seeds are either used in-ground or soaked form. The ground seeds of this astonishing herb bulk up the absorbable fiber, mucilage. Consuming this before meals are known to aid in weight loss.

Plantain is a good source of silica and is a gentle natural expectorant. These properties make it an ideal natural formula for colds, coughs, and lung disorders.

The natural diuretic properties of this herb transform it into a powerful solution for various kidney disorders.



Plantain helps soothe menstruation by slowing down the blood flow. As a styptic, you can use it topically to ease the bleeding from wounds.

It is also beneficial for healing various types of skin disorders.

From the digestive issues to skin disorders, menstruation troubles to arthritis, plantain is a one-stop solution for various troubles affecting the humans. Include it in your diet as a salad leaf or chew it to quench your thirst. This versatile herb is sure to bestow you with goodness throughout your life.

References:

  • Project.Nsearch: Most Useful Medicines on the Planet
  • Wikipedia: Plantago Major
  • Prescription for Herbal Healing: 2nd Edition – Phyllis A. Balch, CNC
  • Hygieia: A Woman’s Herbal – Jeannine Parvati
  • Healing Secrets of the Native Americans – Porter Shimer
  • The New Age Herbalist – Richard Mabey

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This Post Has 100 Comments

  1. Teresa Matthews Skelley

    I need a salve..any suggestions?

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  7. Rocco

    Keep this going please, great job!

  8. Sheryl Gaffket

    Does this grow in Wisconsin?

  9. Peggy Rice Olson

    My grandfather was an Old School Herbalist, and he used this for various things. It works. There are a lot of things we call weeds that are really beneficial to our health. Just stop spraying round up on them and instead, put them in a salad.

    1. guppi

      Amen to that sister! Round Up has some scary chemicals in it. I quit using it a long time ago.

      Who knew about plantain weed? Not me. Would you put plantain in a salad?

      Bet your grandpa taught you a lot. Sweet.

  10. Joey Martin

    Are you cereal ?

    1. Yo Yo Milano

      Lol huh?

    2. Joey Martin

      Serious haha

  11. Edwin Montano

    Don’t tell the FDA, they’re gonna declare it illegal…

    1. Amy Creasman

      My first thought too…

  12. Edite Anthony

    What does it treat?

    1. Yo Yo Milano

      Read the damn article.

    2. Yo Yo Milano

      Agreed!

    3. Edite Anthony

      I have it in my gardens here in UG but don’t know what it treats

  13. Elena Dinga

    In Romania is used in cough syrup that can be bought from a Drug store. We call it Patlagina.

  14. Vanity Taylor

    This stuff is actually amazing. Been using it my entire life.
    Any bug bites, burns, stings… Grab this stuff, chew it up (or throw it in a food processor if you’re near your home and can) and put it on whatever the issue is.
    It will take the sting/itch right out immediately.

  15. Chhay Omgurhuge

    This is the most useful weed on the planet!!!!!!

    1. Thomas Henry

      Pete sounds like a sad panda… lol

    2. Chhay Omgurhuge

      Wow Pete you must be really educated, i can tell by the way you intelligently responded to my comment! Lmfao hahahaha hahahaha….

    3. Zachary Stultz

      Its a common weed in Texas. We use to kill em on our golf course which i despised in school.

    4. Chhay Omgurhuge

      I call it “Black Mamba” lmfao hahahahahaha….

    5. Shanna Greathouse

      Yep! Pete Nicholson is just mad that the state he lives in didn’t legalize it…don’t worry…Pete will evolve one day!

    6. Scott Yost

      I had to make a choice 75k a year or smoke, had to quit smoking. I support it 110% I don’t think pa will ever legalize it.

    7. Michael Hill

      I think Pete may be a TROLL !

  16. Douglas Kinney

    Wrong weed

  17. Tsohg Neesnu

    It is very common in Poland it’s called “babka lancetowata” in polish

  18. Jose Antonio Torres

    I kill that weed

  19. Rhoda Garvin

    Mike Henderson…isn’t this the plant you guys were telling me about?

    1. Mike Henderson

      yup that’s the one. Works too!

    2. Mike Henderson

      you can eat every part of it. Grind it into oil and use it on your joints. Amazing on tooth aches.

  20. Arcelia Romero

    I Will Find out What id The name in Spanish.Thanks a lot.

  21. Margarett Burns

    Great for poison ivy, poison oak! Soothes the itch and dries the blisters.

  22. Mery Mason

    I grew up drinking tea out of this plant! In Chile it’s called “Llanten” 🙂 . Check this out Patricia MacAdam

  23. Laura Gordon

    Good for nettle stings, we call them dock leaves

  24. Richard D Frank Seeney

    Do you use the leaves or the actual flower?

    1. Maja Kovač Vujović

      Only leaves

    2. Richard D Frank Seeney

      Thanks, I have these in my garden. I’ll be sure to make good use for them

  25. Jeremy McWilliams

    James Tsi Pairrett these are up at camping

    1. Jeremy McWilliams

      Plox. Im gonna make ground weed stew next year

    2. Jeremy McWilliams

      Hullya. Mix it in with apple pie

  26. Steven Grotz

    Its called plantain

  27. Marie P. Santerre

    Use to be in potion to the auto-sunscreen treatment.

  28. Robert Hebzda

    Yes its true i tried it in the woods 😀

  29. Kory Klein

    Nancy Klein you told me about this a long time ago.. now people are catching on

  30. Emina Manenti

    I make a tea, cough sirup, use for any skin condition or wound dressing. It is good antioxidant too, pump your immune system with juiced leaves, add honey & lemon for the taste.

  31. Lillian Wei

    Che Qian Cao – very commonly used herb in Chinese herbal medicine!

  32. James Larks

    Marie-Claire Dowling for your sister!

    1. Marie-Claire Dowling

      Stephania. Haha yes when we went on our walk she was looking at all the weeds

  33. Tacey Patterson

    I am allergic to it. Makes my eyes swell

  34. Marianna Polyakova

    It helps to heal bruises, stop bleeding, helps to relieve pain, and we all know it from childhood, Russian childhood 🙂

  35. Maja Kovač Vujović

    In Serbia,we use it all the time and call it Bokvica <

  36. Elena Vinogradova

    I used to put it on my sore knee when I got hurt when I was a little girl.

  37. Maurice Carter

    High key thought it was referring to marijuana for a sec lol

  38. Levi Brindle

    I wonder how long it’ll be before people start calling this a dangerous drug and banning it

  39. Renee Grey

    A lit if medicinal plants have been mistaken for weeds it’s good that we are becoming more aware now good knowledge to pass down to a next generation

  40. Arvydas Null

    as a child i put leaf of this plant on vounds

  41. Kim Dennis

    My dog loves it, when she is sick she goes to it right away and it seems to help her. Who knew

  42. Jeff Sopp

    plantain

  43. Salvador Gnarly

    All weeds are useful treatments for one ailment or another.

  44. Fiona Mcrae

    It’s plantain, NOT dock leaves. It is a valued medicinal herbs, but most people weed it out and Chuck it!

  45. Branimira Palić

    We put it on wounds whenever we get injured playing outside.

  46. Todd Beard

    White mans foot

  47. Shanna Greathouse

    Plantain…no…not the “banana”

  48. Brenda Clunn

    The seed pod that grows up the middle is a medicine of its own, called psyllium.

  49. Lisa Simmer

    My grandmother used it on burns I received from the muffler of my older brothers motorcycle which I leaned against. Best thing was she made me help her gather it and learn it’s importance.

  50. Melinda Greene Rankin

    Love this little weed I use it in some of my medicines.

  51. Ziek Miester

    Better not let the government hear about it otherwise it’ll end up as a schedule 1 drug.

  52. Zita Cutler

    Shelley Cutler xx remember this and show me it in my garden xx

  53. Ian Barker

    the leaves of the evergreen bush , when boiled make the best insect repellent , when sprayed on plants

  54. Boune Rajaram

    Plantains… very good as infusion to clean eyes. Careful as people consider it as a weed and spray herbicide on it.

  55. Boune Rajaram

    Plantana

  56. Svetlana Andreushkina

    Подорожник in Russian. A well-known staple in healing wounds

  57. Steven Brenes Prendas

    My little weed, it’s a cute!!!!

  58. Kerry Wexler

    Brilliant! !!! I’ve seen the weed all my life and never knew it could be used in so many ways..

  59. Martin Christopher-Martin

    My garden is full of the stuff!

  60. Karen Rigney

    Im chewing some right now for tooth pain

  61. Philip Hales

    thank you very intresting

  62. Bryan Sherr

    Ty Wyble try this.

  63. Dana Freeman

    Yep I know all about this one. Right, Michelle Flanagan-Altum?

  64. Donna Bunton

    unbelieveable! this is everywhere… seriously?

    1. Ron Jeppesen

      Grows all over the place, even in my driveway.

    2. Donna Bunton

      I think we had better save it and throw it in our stew

  65. Julian Porter

    Society defines what a ‘weed’ is 😉

  66. Jan Guerin

    Plantain, when eaten fresh gets, rid of an asthma attack. One leaf is all I need as a 56 kg person. It takes about 12 to 15 minutes to be effective.

    1. Jan Guerin

      The plantain I spoke of is plantago lanceolata. The other one, plantago major, possibly works too. I have not tried it yet.

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