A quick quiz first.
How do you call this?
How about this?
Both plants in the pictures are called plantain. The first one is a kind of banana, while the second one is a kind of plant easily found in your yard. To specify, people usually call the weed-like plant plantain herb.
Backyard healing herb
Considered a weed by most people, plantain herb is actually one of the best healing herbs on the planet native to Europe and parts of Asia. The settlers introduced the plant to North America, so you can see them everywhere today.
The leaves of plantain herb are edible and can be used in salads (have you noticed that?)
Herbal uses of plantain herb
People put plantain herb leaves in the tea to promote digestion, help with heartburn and ulcers.
Apart from taken internally, plantain herb can also be applied externally to like insect and snake bites, and as a remedy for rashes and cuts.
Plantain herb contains natural antibacterial and anti-inflammatory substances, which make it great for speeding recovery of wounds and itching or pain caused by skin problems.
You can always apply plantain herb when you are bitten by mosquitos, stung by bees or spiders. Simply use a salve containing plantain leaf, or just chew the leaves, and apply it to the bite. This can help ease the reaction.
