Hello, fellow lovers of all things green. Have you ever considered Broadleaf Plantain, the flat-leaved weed with spikey seed heads that invades your lawn, a beneficial plant? It was news to me to learn that it’s a valuable herb, though I’ve known for years that Dandelions should be considered welcome lawn guests.
How I learned about the benefits of Broadleaf Plantain
How I learned about the benefits of Plantain came from a recent herb garden design. An associate installer who advocates environmentally friendly practices using native plants asked me to design the garden tucked away in the corner of a Princeton, NJ, home. A substantial urn takes center stage with an angled pattern of two-by-two-foot bluestones to serve as a design element and function to tend to the plants. Espaliered pear trees are along one wall, and climbing roses adorn the other.
Look what cropped up in my new veggie garden—a bouncing baby plantain.
When a roster of desired plants came, I was surprised that Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major) was on the client’s wish list. But what makes a weed, defined as a misplaced plant, is a matter of opinion.
Broadleaf Plantain, also called Band-Aid Plant, offers first-aid remedies. The trouble-free plant grows in all zones in full sun.
“If it’s green, it’s good.”
You likely know by now that my lawn philosophy is, “If it’s green, it’s good,” as long as it’s free from nasty chemicals. But a pool of dozens of Plantains with their large flat leaves have overrun our lawn in areas filled with violets, sunny dandelions, and native white clover I adore, as do pollinators.
The spikey thingies on Plantain are the flowers, which aren’t beautiful. And they often don’t get cut by the mower, so after a fresh cut, the lawn looks messy. Like the waxy stems of Dandelions, though I adore their yellow flower faces decorating the yard. So, I accept the spent stems as a minor inconvenience.
All parts of the dandelion are edible.
A Happy Honeybee Meets a Sunny Dandelion.
Dandelions are full of nutrition, more so than kale and spinach, and the greens taste like arugula. You can also make them into wine. In our Podcast Episode 157 (link below), I share Koleen’s hilarious childhood memory of making Dandelion Wine, which will surely entertain.
Plus, Dandelions attract beneficial ladybugs, which feed on pests such as aphids, mites, leafhoppers, scales, and mealybugs.
We have plenty of standard grass, too, thanks to my dear Curt, who, each Spring and sometimes Fall, fills in bald spots—most times without much success due to soil compaction from heavy foot traffic going and coming from our footbridge over the pond to Jolee’s potty spot.
This year, per my suggestions, he bought straw to serve as a mulch cover to keep the seed moist. It’s working well in the bridge spot and not so well around Ellie’s memorial tree. “Maybe the straw is too thick,” I carefully suggest. Per Rutgers University’s Extension, 25 percent of the soil should remain exposed below the straw. But Jolee loves to run and slide in the straw. Such fun!
Plantain serves as a first-aid remedy.
While some consider Plantain an unsightly weed, these baby raccoons beg to differ :^)
So, back to the Broadleaf Plantain. They have astringent qualities. You can bruise a leaf to bring out the juices and place them on a wound or soothe diaper rashes. Or chew or mash leaves between two rocks to make them into a lump to treat a bee sting or cut.
In addition, they say Plantain Tea aids diarrhea and yeast infections and helps coughs. First, ensure the lawn is free from chemical herbicides, pesticides, or fertilizers. And, if you can’t find enough in your yard, you can buy Broadleaf Plantain seeds online. Imagine that!
At times I take great pleasure in using the nifty screw-driver-like weed removal hand tool to pop the suckers out of the ground; the only effective way to rid yourselves of Plantain as they readily grow back if a tidbit of root remains. Plucking them out is kind of like removing blackheads; maybe it’s just me, but I find it rewarding somehow. So now I’ll think of it as a bountiful harvest.
Garden Dilemmas? AskMaryStone@gmail.com (and your favorite Podcast App.)
There’s more to the story in the Garden Dilemmas Podcast, including Koleen’s hilarious childhood memory of making dandelion wine:
Dandelions attract beneficial ladybugs
Link to more about attracting Beneficial Ladybugs
Here’s a recipe for Dandelion Wine and Dandelion Tea. I have yet to try them, but let me know how you make out. Perhaps another entertaining story will come from it (smile).
Loved the article; you always share such interesting and helpful information.
I think I’ll add plantain to my first aid kit!
Thank you for reading the post and your kind words. Indeed Broadleaf Plantain may not beautiful, but a handy remedy to have around.