PlantFiles: Plantain, Rat's Tails, Travellers Foot, Waybread, Cuckoo's Bread
Plantago major

I was surprised to read that some people actually grow this plant on purpose.

Here in Toronto it is a widespread weed, which will outcompete grass and take over a lawn if not checked. The coarse leaves and uninteresting brownish-greenish flower spikes are an unattractive addition to a lawn (in my opinion) and the flower spikes are rigid enough that they aren't pleasing to walk on barefoot (again in my opinion).

Very tasty in salads in early spring, and cooked or in stews later in the season and throughout summer. Makes a great pot herb as well, high in nutrients.

Needs very little care or watering, poultice is great on stings and bites, and seeds are high in fiber and good added to flours. Is simple to propagate with seed or root.

This plant may cause hay fever in some indivdual's. Its seeds are sometimes used in birdseed.

A tough perennial with a deep tap root found in the Northern Hemisphere but native to Europe. North American Indians called it White Man's Foot since it seemed to grow everywhere the English settlers went and has settled where ever the English went in the world carried in the cereal seed.

Has broad, ovate, leathery, slightly ribbed, mid green leaves which grow in flat rosettes. Bears tall spikes of tiny green flowers, spikes can reach up to 20 inches long looks similar to a minature bull rush.

Flowers June-September.

Like a lime rich, well drained soil in sun or partial shade but isn't fussy at all. Prefers lawn areas but will grow practically anywhere you don't want it to.

Not something you would normally want to grow, many people spend an awful lot of time trying to extricate it from their carefully tended lawn. Yet this tough little plant has a long history and has been proved very useful.

Culpepper stated 'There is not any martial disease that it does not cure.' It's main use was in a poultice for wounds and bruises and can be used very effectively on horses too.

It was used as a love diviner, the leaves were collected by young (and older) ladies and placed under the pillow to ensure they dream of their future husband.

Pieces of root were carried in pockets to prevent snakebites, it doesn't work unless there are no snakes about, then it is effective. However, plantain tea was used as a cure for snakebite (for those who had forgotten to take their root with them).

Diseases it was said to have cured are: dropsy, stomach pains, kidney and bladder disease among many others. Backache, eczema, burns, scales, piles and ulcers were also treated with plantain.

Today you might find it in a herbalist shop for asthma, digestive problems and bronchitis as well as for open wounds and bruises.