- System and appearance at a glance
- Traditional medicinal and useful plant - that's what broad plantain contains
What it lacks in attractiveness, plantain makes up for in versatility. The indestructible rosette plant scores with valuable ingredients and edible, young leaves. Anyone who fights the plant as a weed only half-heartedly is usually in a lost position. This profile gives you a closer look at the robust Plantago major.
For some a weed, for others an edible wild plant
System and appearance at a glance
It is revered as an effective medicinal plant as often as it is hated as a weed. Opinions are divided on broadleaf plantain. The following profile conveys outstanding attributes of the two-faced plant.
- Genus within the order of the mint-like (Lamiales)
- Name of the species: plantain (Plantago major)
- Herbaceous, perennial plant with a basal rosette of leaves
- Palm-sized, spoon-shaped leaves
- Growth heights from 3 to 25 cm
- Strong taproots up to 80 cm deep
- Long, narrow, yellowish-white flower spikes from April/May to September/October
- Brown fruit capsules with up to 50 seeds
The outstanding feature is its robust resistance to all kinds of stress. The broad plantain is one of the hard-wearing indicator plants for frequently walked paths and lawns.
Traditional medicinal and useful plant - that's what broad plantain contains
The sap of plantain contains valuable ingredients that have been used in folk medicine for generations. Consumed regularly as a tea, the plant supports smoking cessation, relieves toothaches, headaches or earaches. For this purpose, 2 tablespoons of the fresh leaves are brewed with half a liter of water and left to steep for a few minutes.
Plantago major is not only edible, but also rich in vitamins and minerals. The tender leaves in spring round off a fresh salad aromatically. The older foliage in summer is prepared into a very healthy vegetable - similar to sauerkraut. Traditionally, broadleaf plantain is an ingredient in Maundy Thursday soup, which is prepared exclusively from weeds.
tips
Experienced hikers know plantain as a practical first-aid plant. In the case of painful wasp stings, the plant immediately brings relief by chewing the leaves or grinding them with a stone and placing them on the sting site. If the hiking boots pinch, plantain leaves are placed on the painful area and the rest of the way is effortlessly mastered.