Plantain on the menu

Ok, we've learned a bit about Plantain's medicinal value, maybe put it to use as a fairy bandaid, or even put it in a jar of oil for future use in a healing salve. (Incidentally, that quart of plantain oil is worth $126 on one site I checked out!)

It always surprises people that this lowly "weed" is so helpful and healing. They are even more surprised to find out they can eat it as a veggie!

The best odds of enjoying Plantain as an edible is to harvest young tender leaves. In the spring that's not too difficult. But as summer moves along, the plant matures, and the larger leaves become rather tough, and somewhat bitter in taste. So just use the younger leaves, emerging from the center.

These leaves can be cooked, or used raw in salads. Heat does destroy some of the antibacterial properties of the plant, but many nutrients remain active. Plantain is very high in beta carotene (A) and calcium. It also provides ascorbic acid (C), and vitamin K.

I usually recommend a first encounter with eating herbs be as a tea. You can make it weak or strong, sweeten or not, mix with another tea you already enjoy - just play with it.

Leaf infusion: Place 2-4 tbsp of fresh plantain leaf, half if dried, in a warmed glass container. Bring 2 1/2 c of fresh, non-chlorinated water to the boiling point, add it to the herbs. Cover. Steep five to seven minutes. Drink warm or cold throughout the day, up to three cups per day. The prepared tea will store for about two days in the refrigerator in a sealed jar.

If you are feeling braver, try fresh tender leaves in a salad. Here's a suggestion:

Pretty Plantain salad

Toss about 5 cups of washed young plantain leaves (rough chopped) with one sliced tomato and one large cubed avocado. If you like basil, throw in a couple leaves chiffonade. Make a simple vinegrette of 4 T. red wine vinegar, 2 T. oil (avocado oil is nice!), 1 tsp. honey. Pour over salad, dust with a couple grinds of fresh black pepper.

Pretty tasty, eh? Now you are ready for a simple side dish:

Cheddar Cheese Plantain

Boil about 5 cups of young plantain leaves (if using older leaves, may have to be boiled through several changes of water) Test for tenderness and flavor as they cook, they shouldn't be bitter. Young leaves should only need one change of water.
Make a cheese sauce: In small saucepan, melt 1 T. butter. Whisk in 1 T. flour, over low heat, until smooth. Still whisking, stir in 1 c. chicken broth, turning the heat to medium high. When the mixture is smooth and bubbling, stir in 1 1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese (you can use less cheese if you use a good sharp cheddar... )
Pour the cheese sauce over the cooked plantain leaves, dust with fresh ground pepper.

Plantain can be used in place of spinach, in most recipes. Just make sure the leaves are young!

This lowly but powerful plant should have a few square feet of it's own in every yard or garden. It has been speculated that it could be the first "weed" to come under cultivation in a survival situation.

Making Plantain Oil - and salve

Did you find your Plantain? If need be, give the leaves a rinse, then pat dry. I'm lucky to have it abundantly in the yard and lane to the back 40, where it is totally uncontaminated.
I don't know how much to tell you to gather, it depends on your jar size.
To make your own plantain oil: chop the leaves coarsely, fill your jar (don't tamp it down, just dump it in), and cover with olive oil, leaving about 1/2" headspace. Cover with a piece of paper towel and jar ring.

PUT A LABEL ON THAT JAR: plant, type of oil, date made, and date due to be strained.

Let it steep for about 6 weeks. I like to leave it out on the counter, because it needs to be stirred - a bamboo skewer works great - daily for about 10 days to release any air bubbles that form. It will begin to smell like pepperoni - honest. It's not spoiling, it's OK. Leave it lidded with paper toweling until the odor dissipates. Then it can be lidded with a regular solid lid.


At the end of about 6 weeks, you can strain the oil through several layers of cheesecloth, then store the completed plantain oil in a lidded jar. Make sure the jar is labeled!


This healing oil can be used plain on rashes, scrapes, bug bites and stings. It is safe for animals and children.

It can be made into a salve by itself, or combined with other healing oils and beeswax, to make a truly wonderful healing salve.

One cup of warmed oil (total: plain or mixed with other herb oils), one ounce melted beeswax in a glass cup (ie measuring cup) - that's a little less than 2 tablespoons. Keep the container warm in a pot of hot water while stirring in the beeswax, it's easier. Then stir in one teaspoon therapeutic grade lavender oil. Immediately pour into waiting containers. How simple is that?!

(A NOTE ON BEESWAX: Find a lidded jar that holds about a cup. If you melt your beeswax in that jar (in a pot of hot water on the stove - never over direct heat, it is flammable), you can measure out what you need, then leave the rest to cool and re-harden in the jar, put the lid on to keep dust out, and just keep using the same jar. Trust me, it's easier than trying to clean hard beeswax out of a measuring cup every time you melt some!)

Best of all: THIS STUFF WORKS!! I keep a small tin in my tote bag, and in my medicine bag. There's also a jar by the bandaids, for the punks to grab when they need to do repairs.

More on other ways to use plantain coming.