My new favorite "wild" herb (yes, even better than dandelion)

[calee]

So last year, I noticed these strap-leaved plants growing around the yard. I started watering some of them to encourage them to grow because I thought they were so pretty. Then they bloomed! Adorable 1" little green flower heads at the top of 8-12" stalks with little sputnik-like rings of tiny white stamens sticking out. I started scheming about transplating them into my beds...

This year, I took a leaf sample to the farmer's market and checked with some of the local experts. It's narrow-leaved plantain. I had NO idea plantain could have such narrow leaves and such short flower spikes! The plantain I was familiar with had wide, almost spade-like leaves and 6" long flower spikes at the top of a foot-long stem.

So, am I still planning on transplanting it into my flower bed? Totally!

This stuff rocks. You can make a poultice by crushing the leaves and putting them right on on stings, bug bites, scratches, sunburn, and rashes- including diaper rash on babies and poison ivy. To save it for winter use, crush the leaves into a clean jar, fill the jar with enough vegetable oil to cover, put the lid on, and leave it in the sun for a week or two. Strain the oil. Either bottle it into sterilized jars or warm it gently on the stove with a little beeswax and pour it into shallow jars for a light salve. I've had friends sautee it and eat it, but I haven't done it yet. Maybe next spring when everything's more tender.

And just because I know you are tapping your foot impatiently at your computers wondering what the heck this wonderful little herb looks like:

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Do you know the formal name of the plant? Genus species?

If it's as good as you say it is I wouldn't mind having some.

What about it reseeding or spreading? Seem to be invasive at all?

 

[Tutter]

We have 2 types here. One looks a lot like that one, if not exactly like it. I'll get a photo tomorrow.

Dh uses them interchangeably for bee stings.

OaklandCityFarmer, the one which looks the same here is not invasive in our conditions, but we don't have it in the garden.

We have it in the pastures, which are high water in the winter; in sandy loam under oak trees; the edge of the woods, but not in the forest; and we've have some in a drainage ditch which has been there for 20 years. It gets small/dies back in the winter, then gets nice in the spring, when it stands up. In the summer it kind of lies along the ground.

Structurally the leaves are tough/fiberous, but that's probably how the were chewed, then applied to wounds, way back when.

I'll get a photo tomorrow, to see if they are the same plant.

 

[Reinbeau]

Narrow Leafed Plantain is Plantago laceolata, the rounder one is Plantago ovata. Another name for the round one is White Man's Footsteps, they followed the railroads out west. Both are excellent medicinal plants, as mentioned, great for bee stings and other insect bites, the narrow leafed is also used to treat lung ailments. Both are edible when young. These are both herbs that were brought here for their medicinal properties and naturalized.

 

[patandchickens]

Well, it's a weed (I am just reporting, not judging <g>) so yes it does seed itself around. The roots are dense and tenacious but not actually deep, so it is not too bad to weed out from where you don't want it.

Never tried it as a poultice but with the number of blackflies we get around here, plus the as-yet-unidentified whatever-it-is that I apparently brush against from time to time and get a massively itchy rash, I am glad you suggested that and will probably do it next time there's need.

I've actually seen one of those plantains used as an ornamental in some British gardening books, and IIRC have even seen it listed with a named cultivar. Of course the Brits will plant pretty much anything in the border; I expect they probably have named cultivars of poison ivy <vbg>


Pat, also amused that there are ornamental named cultivars of white clover

 

[OaklandCityFarmer]

Thank you all for the insight. Much appreciated.

I love this place, saves a lot of time not having to search around Google.

White Man's Footsteps, wow, very Kipling. :/

 

[Tutter]

And saves having to post a photo! lol!

 

[freshfood]

HI,

I've seen that plant too, never paid it any mind as it gets mowed with the rest of the lawn...I'll have to watch out for it, try to save it so I can see if it's the same. Guess there's no such thing as a weed!

For bug bites and other itches, we break a stem of jewel weed (touch-me-not) and smear the juice on. Works well. Good to have another alternative.

 

[robbobbin]

Weeds here. I been yanking them out as fast as I can, maybe I should start selling them on ebay-lol

 

[SJ1]

I think I'll let the things grow around here that look a bit like that, and see what happens. Thanks for posting about this.