Broad plantain: The medicinal plant from the wayside

Plantain is found everywhere in nature - and can be very useful. We show why you should have the plantain in the garden.

A constant companion is the broad plantain (Plantago major) from the genus of plantains (plantago). The inconspicuous plant grows even in the most inhospitable places, where it constantly from being trampled on by hiking boots, having to fight your way out of gravel and rubble, or by cows is grazed. And yet she remains persistent and shines with her presence.

plantain

"There's no cure for that," as the saying goes. The plantain, however, has grown against many ailments and is a popular medicinal herb. The widespread medicinal plant has the same effect as the buckhorn (Plantago lanceolata

), but was historically used to treat women, while plantain was used to treat men. Today, of course, this division is no longer up-to-date, but both types are and remain wonderful medicinal herbs in many situations.

Broad plantain: origin and properties

It's actually quite easy to differentiate between buckhorn and broadleaf plantain: While the leaves of the Broad plantains are short and broad and lie close to the ground, whereas plantains are long and narrow and more towards the ground sky oriented. Otherwise, both species look quite similar. Common to plantain is its extreme insensitivity to kicks. Due to its leaves lying close to the ground, it is hardly damaged and was able to conquer the extreme location of the paths. Although the buckhorn is also represented here from time to time, the broadleaf plantain clearly has the say right on and on the paths.

Buy plantain

Buying plantain is not easy. You will hardly find it in the store. Online there are a few dealers for seeds like www.kraeuter-und-Dust-plants.de and there are plants too. A possible source of supply would be the nursery, for example Helenion in the Uckermark. In fact, you can easily find seeds and plants pretty much anywhere on your doorstep. And if you live in the city, the search for a suitable plantain can perhaps be combined with a nice weekend trip into nature.

Grow plantain

Typically, the buckhorn is cultivated. The plant usually grows denser and even has a slightly better healing power. If you still prefer broad plantain, you can proceed in exactly the same way as with buckhorn.

Growing plantain instructions:

• Choose a sunny, warm location with humus-rich and slightly acidic soil
• Harvest seeds from wild specimens
• Use your finger to dig holes about 1.5 cm deep in the loose soil
• Place seeds in holes and cover holes with soil
• Moisten the soil well with a spray bottle
• The plants germinate after about 14 days

multiply plantain

If you let the plantain literally vegetate, then it will multiply by itself. He does this either through his many seeds or he forms offshoots. If you want to make the whole thing a little more targeted, you can strip the ripe seeds from the ear and sow them in a plant bowl or bed.

Cultivate plantain

The plantain is persistent and cannot be broken down. If the location is well chosen, then maintenance is not a big problem either. Just make sure that the soil never dries out completely and give it a little in the spring compost or Horse manure as fertilizer among the plants.

Harvest and store plantain

Harvest only the young leaves of the plantain. Old leaves are tough and have stubborn threads that make chewing difficult. You should preferably harvest the leaves before the first flowers appear, because then they taste more intense and are richer in valuable ingredients. As with buckhorn, the leaves can be stored dried or in processed form. Seeds harvested after ripening should also be carefully dried before storage. Since the seeds are small, this can easily be done in a dry place in the fresh air.

Plantain: Use as a medicinal plant

Although plantain has the same healing properties as buckhorn, only buckhorn is recognized in phytotherapy. Perhaps the reason for this is to be found in the lower biomass of plantain. The buckhorn with its lush growth is more profitable to grow and is therefore more suitable for the production of medicines.

In addition to the Article on plantain More precisely explained use to heal insect bites and inflammations and use as a tea against coughs, plantain also helps to prevent blisters. Place a leaf or two of the plant on the sensitive area of ​​the foot and pull the sock over it. When running, the friction releases the anti-inflammatory and healing substances in plantain. This prevents the formation of bubbles and bubbles that have already formed do not enlarge.

Summary plantain as a medicinal plant:

• As a pad to prevent and relieve blisters
• Chewed mass to relieve insect bites and inflammation
• As a tea against cough and for blood purification

Use porridge plantain in the kitchen

While the buckhorn shines in the kitchen due to its high biomass, the broad plantain has significantly more seeds to offer. After flowering, harvest the ripe seeds from the long spikes of plantain. You can then dry the seeds or lightly roast them in a pan. The whole thing is very tasty in salads, muesli or as a spice in homemade bread. But you don't have to do without plantain in the kitchen when it's flowering. You can put the long inflorescences fresh in the salad.

In autumn, just before it gets really cold, it's time for root vegetables. A tasty addition to the usual suspects of carrot, root parsley and Co. can be the root of the broadleaf plantain. Simply steam the carefully cleaned root together with the other vegetables in the pan. Of course you can also harvest the leaves of the plantain and use them for cooking, but the harvest is at the relatives buckhorn significantly more productive.

Summary plantain in the kitchen:

• Seeds dried and roasted in muesli, salad or as a bread spice
• Blossom in fresh lettuce
• Root stewed in root vegetables
• Leaves fresh in salads, spinach or as pesto

If you are now also about the buckhorn If you would like to be informed, you will find all the important information here.