Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) and narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata)

Narrowleaf and broadleaf plantain are most often used to ease coughs and other respiratory ailments. They can help with irritable bowel syndrome and promote the healing of minor injuries.

Broadleaf plantain (Plantago major) and narrowleaf plantain (Plantago lanceolata) have virtually the same medicinal effects that have been known for millennia. Ancient Greek and Chinese physicians used them, and in medieval herbals this highly valued plant was recommended for as many as 24 different ailments. Both species are used in folk medicine as lotions and infusions to address external concerns, such as itching and chapped skin, cuts and other superficial wounds, insect bites, and eye inflammation. Taken internally, plantain acts as a mild expectorant, and its mucilage soothes inflamed mucous membranes, which makes it an excellent remedy for coughs and bronchitis. It may also ease asthma, catarrh, laryngitis, pharyngitis, and various allergic reactions that affect breathing.

Plantain appears to have antibacterial properties, since recent research shows that its extract works well for lung infections. Thanks to tannins it acts as an astringent, and thanks to mucilage it reduces inflammation. It is used for catarrh of the upper respiratory tract, for inflammation of the oral and pharyngeal mucosa, and for irritable bowel syndrome. In folk medicine it is used to treat wounds, often combined with chamomile, as a rinse or a compress. Crushed leaves and their juice help prevent swelling and itching after insect stings. People once tucked plantain leaves into shoes to soften blisters caused by long walks. Fresh juice is recommended in spring regimens to support natural cleansing and to stimulate metabolism. Owing to its high potassium content, it also acts as a diuretic. The young and tender spring leaves of narrowleaf plantain, harvested in March and April, can be used for soups and mixed salads or cooked like spinach. Cooking brings a pleasant, faintly aromatic scent and a flavor reminiscent of porcini. Any bitterness can be reduced by soaking the chopped leaves in lukewarm water for 30 minutes. With slightly older leaves, you can first pull out the fibrous veins from the underside.

Broadleaf plantain can serve as a wholesome spring vegetable. Use only very young leaves, gathered before the flower stalk forms, from March to June. Add them to soups, and after cooking for 10 to 15 minutes you can prepare them as a salad or a side dish similar to spinach. They pair best when mixed with other leafy greens. In Germany these leaves are fried in lard with eggs, sugar, and cinnamon, while in the Caucasus and the Far East they are added to soups. Leaves are harvested from June to October, preferably before the plants come into flower. After each cut the plantain grows back. Dry the leaves quickly, otherwise they darken. Plantain spreads aggressively, so it is best grown in a wilder corner of the garden.

Plantain tea

Ingredients: 2 teaspoons plantain leaves, 250 ml water

Pour hot water over the chopped or crumbled leaves and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain and sweeten with honey. It has a pleasant aroma and taste, so it is suitable for children.

Drink two to three cups a day.

Herbal blend for expectoration and calming cough

Ingredients: 25 g plantain leaves, 25 g coltsfoot leaves, 25 g sage leaves, 25 g elecampane root

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and place in a jar. For tea, pour 250 ml of hot water over two teaspoons of the blend and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain.

Use: Drink two to three cups a day of freshly prepared tea.

Herbal blend for flu relief

Ingredients: 30 g plantain leaves, 30 g spruce shoots, 20 g coltsfoot leaves, 20 g wild pansy herb

Preparation: Mix all the ingredients and place in a jar. For tea, pour 250 ml of hot water over two teaspoons of the blend and leave to infuse for ten minutes. Strain. Sweeten with honey or add elderberry or sour cherry juice.

Plantain cough syrup

Ingredients: plantain leaves, sugar

Preparation: Place freshly picked plantain leaves in a glass container in lightly pressed layers about 5 cm thick. Sprinkle each layer with sugar. Cover the container with gauze or a cotton cloth and set it in the sun. Leave it in a sunny spot for four to six weeks. Strain and pour into bottles.

Use: Take a teaspoon several times a day. Suitable for children.

Quick plantain syrup

Ingredients: 4 handfuls fresh plantain, 300 g sugar, 250 g honey

Preparation: Grind the washed plantain in a meat grinder. Add a little water, sugar, and honey, then warm gently until it begins to simmer. Stir constantly until you obtain a thick syrup. Pour the hot syrup into bottles and store it in the refrigerator.

Use: For coughs and bronchitis, take a tablespoon several times a day.

Cough drops

Ingredients: 200 plantain leaves, 500 ml water, 500 g sugar, 25 g glucose, 20 g butter, a tablespoon of oil, a teaspoon of ground fennel seeds

Preparation: Chop the fresh plantain leaves, cover with water, bring to a boil, and simmer gently for 30 minutes. Strain the liquid and press the leaves. Add sugar, butter, and fennel, then simmer for about 20 minutes until a thick syrup forms. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, brush it with oil, and pour in the syrup. Allow it to partially set, then cut into pieces the size of candy.

Caution. No adverse effects have been recorded to date. Even so, plantain should not be used during pregnancy.

Fresh plantain juice

Ingredients: 500 g fresh plantain leaves

Preparation: The easiest way to make the juice is with a juicer. Alternatively, blend thoroughly with an immersion blender and strain through gauze.

Use: Take a tablespoon several times a day, mixed with half a tablespoon of warm water. It is used in spring regimens for cleansing and stimulating the metabolism, and it is beneficial for lung diseases, even tuberculosis.