My Green Ally

Last summer was when my interest in herbal/green medicine really took off;  I had stumbled upon Susun Weed (a very well known herbalist) and her weekly e-zine.  Every week she would take pictures of what was growing around her and give a little description of each plant and include a recipe or two at the end of the newsletter.  This newsletter (in part because she is based out of the Catskills, so the plants she experiences are the same one's we have here in Cleveland) was really the inspiration to go out into my yard and learn the names and uses of every green thing growing in my yard that I hadn't planted myself.  It happened slowly, as each week new plants would be sprouting up, or blooming, so I was never over-whelmed.  And it was quite exciting to finally learn the name of some of the lowly plants in the corners of my yard that always seemed to be there,but I had no idea what they were.  One plant in particular that drew my attention was Plantain (Plantago major).  I'm sure (positive, even) that you have this growing in your yard or driveway.  It lies quite flat with the Earth and sends up very tall and thin flower stalks.  The flower stalks are tall and thin too, with very tiny white flowers.  It lays so flat, it's almost impossible to mow down and the flower stalks like to spring back up as soon as you've passed over them with said mower.  There are in fact, two common types of plantain.  The broad leaf species and the narrow (or lance) leaf species.  I've used both in the same manner as the lance leaf is more common at my house.

This is the lance-leaf species.

And this is the broad leaf species.

This plant is most commonly associated with first aid as it makes a great fresh poultice to counter bee stings, poison ivy, insect bites and cuts.  I used it for the first time last year when I was stung on the foot by a bee.  I immediately picked some plantain, chewed it up to make a poultice and applied it to my sting (after removing the stinger of course.)  The pain abated rather quickly. In the fall I went out and harvested a bunch to dry so I would have it during the winter months.  The few times I've cut myself in the kitchen, I've made a dried plantain poultice for my cut.  It always heals quite quickly.

I've had an affinity for plantain, but never really followed up on it in anyway, because, well, it's plantain.  It's plain and boring and all over the place.  Most books (on wild edibles and green medicine) will rave about stinging nettle, red clover, chickweed etc.... but plantain always seems to be relegated to the after thoughts.  At least in my research. 

When my materials for my class arrived last week, I was informed that one of the first things I need to do is pick a "green ally."  This is going to be the plant that I study most intensely, that I spend lots of time with and get to know inside and out.  Through this plant, I will ultimately learn about all the other plants.  Well, this is not some easy, fly by night, randomly open an herb book to any page and and pick a plant kind of thing.  If this is going to be the be-all-end-all plant of all plants that I am going to focus on, it better be a good one.  Of course, nothing was really clicking and or appealing to me. Aloe? No. Red Raspberry? No.  I want something that I have ready access to, that no matter where I am, I can find it.   I've spent the last few nights reading and re-reading my books, looking at pictures, going outside in the snow and cold and all the while, a little voice in the back of my head kept saying "plantain, plantain"....and I ignored it.  Until yesterday.
My friend sent me a link to a blog/ podcast called http://www.abouthyme.com/podcasts/plantain.shtml
The link specifically took me to her web page on, you guessed it, plantain.  Well, that seals it.  My, official green ally is Miss Plantain.  I'm pretty confident and excited in my choice and I'm looking forward to all that she has to teach me.  It's amazing how the Universe works.
Happy Saturday!