how to identify plantain herb

Plantain is a low-growing plant that often has broad, medium green leaves sprouting right out of the soil in flat rosettes. If left to flower, tall, thin spikes grow and tiny flowers appear that are almost indistinguishable.

How do I identify plantain herbs UK?

The parallel veins are very distinctive in the plantain family and run from the bottom of the leaf to the top without visably branching. If the leaf is carefully torn, pulling the top of the leaf away from the bottom, the veins can be revealed still attached looking like tiny strings.

What is plantain herb?

What is plantain weed? Plantain, also known as broadleaf plantain (Plantago major), is native to Europe and certain parts of Asia. This perennial plant produces greenish flowers and has large, oval-shaped leaves that can be eaten raw or cooked.

What does broadleaf plantain look like?

Distinguishing Features. Broadleaf plantain has green, oval to egg-shaped leaves that grow in a rosette. These leaves have thick stems that meet at a base. When these stems are broken, they reveal string-like veins that resemble those in celery.

What is plantain herb good for?

Plantain has long been considered by herbalists to be a useful remedy for cough , wounds , inflamed skin or dermatitis, and insect bites. Bruised or crushed leaves have been applied topically to treat insect bites and stings, eczema , and small wounds or cuts.

How can you tell if a plantain is narrow leaf?

Another way to distinguish the two weeds is to look at the brown fruits. Narrow-leaved plantain seeds are clustered closer to the tip of the stem while broad-leaved plantain seeds are much further down the stem. The plantains tend not to have a standard tap-root like the other flat-weeds.

Does plantain grow in the UK?

Occurrence: Greater plantain is a native perennial weed of disturbed habitats, roadsides, grassland, on tracks, waste and cultivated ground. It occurs throughout the UK on a range of soils and is almost always associated with the activities of man.

How do you use plantain herb?

Plantain leaves are anti-inflammatory and pain-relieving. They are an herbal remedy that works wonders on mosquito bites, bee stings, and minor cuts and scrapes. The simplest way to use them is to crush up a leaf and rub it on the bite or scrape. You can also turn the leaves into an herbal ointment.

What are the side effects of plantain?

Great plantain seems to be safe when taken by mouth by most adults. But it may cause some side effects including diarrhea and low blood pressure. It might be UNSAFE to apply great plantain to the skin. It can cause allergic skin reactions.

Can plantain leaf cure diabetes?

Medical research confirms that the plantain is also good for many of life's ailments including diabetes. Unripe plantain has the potential of lowering blood sugar, according to a study, titled “Hypoglycemic effect of methanolic extract of Musa paradisiaca (Musaceae) green fruits in normal and diabetic mice”.

Is raw plantain healthy?

They're Both Very Nutritious

Both plantains and bananas are a good source of several vital nutrients including potassium, magnesium, vitamin C, fiber and antioxidant compounds (2, 3, 4 ). They both provide a healthy source of complex carbohydrates.

How do you eat common plantain?

How to Eat Common Plantain. The broadleaf plantain weeds that you find in your yard can be eaten entirely, but the young leaves are the tastiest. Use these raw in any way you would spinach, such as in salads and sandwiches. You can also use the older leaves raw, but they tend to be more bitter and stringy.

What do plantain look like?

So you see a bunch of what looks like bananas, but they're bigger, bright green, and thick-skinned. ... Plantains are members of the banana family, but they are starchier and lower in sugar, which means that when they are ripe, they will still be green in color.

Is plantain anti inflammatory?

The major constituents in plantain are mucilage, iridoid glycosides (particularly aucubin), and tannins. Together these constituents are thought to give plantain mild anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antihemorrhagic, and expectorant actions.

How do I prepare plantain tea?

Wash the plantain leaves thoroughly and keep it in a bowl with lid.
Boil the water and pour over the leaves in the bowl, cover with the lid and let them steep until the bowl is cold to touch.
Strain out the tea and store in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.

Is plantain good for weight loss?

Plantain can help with weight loss

100g of plantain provides roughly 8 percent of the recommended daily intake of fibre. Fibre has no fat-burning properties. However, it helps with weight loss because high-fibre foods tend to have a lower energy density, which means they provide fewer calories per gram of food.

Is narrow leaf plantain medicinal?

Uses and Parts Used

Leaves have bronchodilation properties and can be used for bronchitis and throat colds. Leaf poultice used for blisters, sores, ulcers, swelling, insect stings, earaches, and eye ailments. Seeds, like any plantain, may be ingested to reduce cholesterol levels.

Is narrow leaf plantain edible?

The leaves of the equally ubiquitous narrow-leaf plantain, or Plantago lanceolata, also are edible when young. The shoot is "edible" only with quotation marks. You can eat the seeds should you have the patience to collect hundreds of plants for the handful of seeds you'd harvest.

How do you harvest and plantain?

To harvest plantain, you will want to pick the leaves just before the flower stalks mature. Once the leaves are collected, dry them in the shade on screens. You can also dehydrate them at 95°F until they are dry and crumbly. Discard any that turn black.

Where does plantain come from?

Plantains are believed to have originated in Southeast Asia. Two groups of plantains are thought to have a common origin: the horn plantain and the French plantain. Both types grow in India, Africa, Egypt, and tropical America. The French plantains also occur in Indonesia and the islands of the Pacific.

Where can you find plantain?

Plantain (Plantago spp.) is native to Europe as well as northern and central Asia, but it can be found growing in the wild all over the world. There are several different species of Plantago that grow worldwide.

Is plantain a perennial?

Plantains are perennial weeds. They have a shallow, thick taproot that keeps them alive over the winter. They sprout in mid-spring, then send up a flower stalk in early to mid-summer. The flower blooms and its seeds are dispersed by the wind, thus spreading the plant quickly throughout your garden.