Broad plantain is found everywhere in nature - and can be very useful. We show why you should have plantain in your garden.
A constant companion is the plantain (Plantago major) from the plantain genus (Plantago). The inconspicuous plant grows even in the most inhospitable places, where it is constantly trampled on by hiking boots, has to fight its way out of gravel and rubble, or is grazed by cows. And yet she persists 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. This widespread medicinal plant has the same effects as plantain (Plantago lanceolata), but historically it was 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.
Plantain: origin and properties
It's actually quite easy to differentiate between buckhorn and buckhorn: while the leaves of buckhorn are short and wide and lie close to the ground, those of buckhorn are long and narrow and point more towards the sky. 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 represented here from time to time, the broadleaf plantain clearly has the say right on and on the paths.
Buy plantain
Buying broadleaf plantain is not easy. You will hardly find it in the store. There are a few dealers online for seeds such as www.kraeuter-und-Dust-plants.de and plants can also be found. A possible source of supply would be the Helenion nursery in the Uckermark, for example. In fact, you can easily find seeds and plants pretty much anywhere on your doorstep.And if you live in the city, you might combine the search for a suitable plantain with a nice weekend getaway in nature.
Plantain growing
Typically buckhorn is cultivated. The plant usually grows denser and even has a slightly better healing power. If you still prefer the broadleaf plantain, you can proceed in exactly the same way as with the buckhorn plantain.
Instructions for growing plantain:
- Choose a sunny, warm location with humus-rich and slightly acidic soil
- Harvesting seeds from wild specimens
- Drill holes about 1.5 cm deep in the loose soil with your finger
- Put seeds in holes and cover holes with soil
- Moisten the soil well with a spray bottle
- The plants germinate after about 14 days
Propagate plantain
If you let the broadleaf plantain literally vegetate, it will also multiply by itself. It does this either through its many seeds or it 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 planter or bed.
Caring for 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 in the spring you may add a little compost or horse manure under the plants as fertilizer.
Harvest and store plantain
Harvest only the young plantain leaves. 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. The leaves can be stored - just like buckhorn - dried or in processed form. Seeds harvested after ripening should also be carefully dried before storage. Since the seeds are small, you can easily store them in a dry place in the fresh air.
Broad plantain: use as a medicinal plant
Even if broadleaf 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 hislush growth is more profitable to grow and is therefore more suitable for the production of medicines.
In addition to being used to heal insect bites and inflammation, as explained in more detail in the article on plantain, and used 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 of 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 coughs and for blood purification
Use porridge plantain in the kitchen
While the buckhorn shines in the kitchen with its high biomass, the broad-leaved 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 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 from the related buckhorn is much more productive.
Summary of plantain in the kitchen:
- Seeds dried and roasted in muesli, salad or as a bread spice
- Flower in fresh lettuce
- Root steamed in root vegetables
- Leaves fresh in salads, spinach or as pesto
If you would like to find out more about buckhorn, you will find all the important information here.