Plantago major
| Plantago major | |
| Light: |  |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Height: | 0.4' |
| Width: | 0.3' |
| Blooms: | Late Spring-Early Fall |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
 | |
Plantago major (common name: common plantain)
Propagation: Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer.
A sowing can be made outdoors in situ in mid to late spring if you have enough seeds.
Cultivation: Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in a sunny position[1].
Although this species is a common garden weed, some named forms have been selected for their ornamental value[2].
An important food plant for the caterpillars of many species of butterflies[3].
Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, to northern and central Asia.
Habitat: A common garden weed, particularly in lawns[4][5][6]. Rarely in grassy places[7].
Edibility: Young leaves - raw or cooked[8][9][10][11][12][13]. They are rather bitter and tedious to prepare because the fibrous strands need to be removed before use[14]. It is best not to use the leaf-stalk since this is even more fibrous than the leaf[13]. Many people blanch the leaves in boiling water before using them in salads in order to make them more tender[13]. A Chinese form has more palatable leaves - it contains about 2.7% protein, 0.4% fat, 2.2% ash[15].
Seed - raw or cooked[12][16]. Very tedious to harvest[16]. The seed can be ground into a meal and mixed with flour[13]. It is very rich in vitamin B1[15]. The whole seeds can be boiled and used like sago[17].
The dried leaves make an acceptable tea[13].
Root[13]. No further details.
Medicinal: Common plantain is a safe and effective treatment for bleeding, it quickly staunches blood flow and encourages the repair of damaged tissue[18].
The leaves are astringent, demulcent, deobstruent, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic and refrigerant[5][19][14][20][21][22][16][23]. Internally, they are used in the treatment of a wide range of complaints including diarrhoea, gastritis, peptic ulcers, irritable bowel syndrome, haemorrhage, haemorrhoids, cystitis, bronchitis, catarrh, sinusitis, asthma and hay fever[23][18]. They are used externally in treating skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, cuts, stings etc[5]. The heated leaves are used as a wet dressing for wounds, swellings etc[24][25].
The root is a remedy for the bite of rattlesnakes, it is used in equal portions with Marrubium vulgare[26].
The seeds are used in the treatment of parasitic worms[24].
Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells up in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes[23]. Sometimes the seed husks are used without the seeds[23].
A distilled water made from the plant makes an excellent eye lotion[19].
Pollinators: Wind
Notes: An excellent 'weed' species for naturalizing in the grass - a very valuable and tough forage crop providing seeds and leaves.
Also consider the other native plantains, especially P. lanceolata and P. media.
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Wind: Tolerates maritime wind exposure
Seed Ripens: Mid Summer-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Links
References
- ↑ Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Thomas, Graham. Perennial Garden Plants. J. M. Dent & Sons, 1990.
- ↑ Carter, David. Butterflies and Moths in Britain and Europe. Pan, 1982.
- ↑ Chittendon, Fred. RHS Dictionary of Plants. Oxford University Press, 1951.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Hedrick, Ulysses. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications, 1972.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ Loewenfeld, Claire and Philippa Back. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles.
- ↑ Muhlberg, Helmut. Complete Guide to Water Plants. Sterling Publishing, 1982.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 13.3 13.4 13.5 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ 14.0 14.1 Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 Read, Bernard. Famine Foods Listed in the Chiu Huang Pen Ts'ao. Taipei Southern Materials Centre, 1977.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 Schofield, Janice. Discovering Wild Plants.
- ↑ Low, Tim. Wild Food Plants of Australia. Angus and Robertson, 1989.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Chiej, Roberto. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald, 1984.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
- ↑ 23.0 23.1 23.2 23.3 Bown, Deni. Royal Horticultural Society Encyclopaedia of Herbs and Their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, 1995.
- ↑ 24.0 24.1 Weiner, Michael. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books, 1980.
- ↑ Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ Coffey, Timothy. The History and Folklore of North American Wild Flowers. Facts on File, 1993.