Do you like to keep a nice lawn? Many of us do. A lush carpet of green grass can be very appealing to the eye and feels lovely underfoot. But what happens when we get a yard fill with weeds? I’m sure you have battled the weeds before and only to have them come back time and again. Weeds are tough, and with good reason. God did that on purpose because many of the so-called weeds are actually very medicinal and can heal you in ways you never thought possible. For the next few weeks, we will focus on some popular medincinal plants commonly found in the front lawn or the garden.

Let’s focus on a common weed that is abundant in most areas. There are a few places that don’t have it but it is generally found all over the country. Plantain, botanical name Plantago major, is a low-growing perrieniel plant that usually survives the winter, especially in South Texas. You will recognize plantain by it’s basal rosette of leaves that lie flat on the ground. Each leaf contains five to seven veins and, when pulled apart, you will find a dental-floss-like string inside the leaf. Flower stems ascend upward from the center of the plant and are very straight and bloom with tiny yellow/green tinted flowers.

Miracle Salve contains olive oil infused with plantain leaves to help ward off bruising, inflammation, infection, to stop bleeding and promote tissue repair. Plantain also has wonderful drawing properties. It is great in a salve for quick on-the-go treatment of minor scrapes and burns. Using the plant directly will acheive optimal results for more serious conditions.

The easiest way to use a plantain leaf is to simply tear it off the plant and place it where needed. Hikers use plantain leaves in their boots to relieve the pain from blisters and promote healing.

To make it even more effective for cuts, bleeding, and poisonous bites like that of snakes and spiders or stings from bees and scorpions, tear off a leaf, chew, and plaster this “spit poultice” directly on the affected area. If the bite or sting is very serious like that of a black widow or snake, head to the ER immediately only using a quick remedy like the spit poultice before hand. In situations like this where you need immediate attention and have to head to the car for emergency care or are out somewhere there is no care to be given, a spit poultice is quick and effective way to draw that poison out without having to go inside and prepare something to treat the area with. The saliva in your mouth helps to break the plant down and release its healing properties.

In cases where you have the time or you maybe don’t have fresh plantain growing in your yard, having dried plantain on hand in your cupboard is a must. I won’t be without it. I have successfully treated two brown recluse spider bites with poultices made from dried plantain leaves.

I simply took the dried leaves, wrapped the leaves in cotton cheesecloth, dipped the bundle in boiled water for a few seconds, then, while still warm to the touch but cool enough to avoid burning, I placed the poultice directly on the affected area for fifteen mintues at a time. I did this every hour daily until all symptoms were gone.

I also gave Berry Well internally and rubbed on a combination of essential oils and olive oil topically in between poultices to avoid any other symptoms or infections. After one use of the plantain poultice, the pain was gone. After four uses, the darkening of the skin was gone. After about two days, all hardening of the skin and tissue had vanished! One of the bites healed faster as we did catch it sooner.
One of the bites was on myself and I could actually feel the poison being drawn up toward the surface of the skin and out. The pain went with it so that is how I knew it was working.

Other ways you can use your plantain poultice is for any kind of inflammation or bruising, boils, or cysts. Any time you need to draw out poison or splinters or relieve pain, use plantain.

Try useing a crushed fresh leaf or dried leaf poultice in cases of deep puncture wounds. Plantain has the amazing ability to hold the would open to draw out infections and heal from the inside out. This is a case where comfrey would be a bad idea. Comfrey heals the top of the skin, quickly trapping infection inside, maing it better suited for healing scratches and easing bone breaks. Plantain, on the other hand, will help to keep away tetanus when kept on the area day and night and changed regularly. It can actually even draw the dirt and rust out of a wound. This is a staple in our home as it is so wonderful for first aid.

If you would like to purchase, seeds, dried leaves, or plantain salve use our link below for Mountain Rose Herbs. When you use our links for every purchase you help support this website.

When a remedy doesn’t work
There are a few cases you will come across where a remedy will not work for you. I would like to give you a few guidelines to help you figure out what went wrong. We will dive into this farther in coming months.

•The most obvious reason is that you simply chose the wrong herb for your ailment and so it cannot help you.
•The herb may be in the wrong form. There are many ways to prepare an herb and you have to make sure you have the right one. There are teas, tinctures, capsules, infusions, decoctions, poultices, salves, baths, syrups, and more. It is very important to use the correct form for your problem.
•Often times, the problem taking too small a dose, not taking it often enough, or not taking it consistenly. Being consistent with a treatment, even awhile after the desired result is acheived, is very important. I cannot stress this enough.
•Lastly, it could be a misdiagnosis. If you cannot figure out what the root cause is, consider seeing a proffessional to get an better idea of what the problem can be so you will be able to choose the proper herb. Avoid only thinking in terms of treating the symptoms.