Plantain

Ubiquitous plantain (Plantago major) is a major first aid plant. A picked leaf, chewed and spat onto an insect bite, can immediately soothe the itch or sting; pressed onto the skin, it can also draw out anything that’s been injected below the surface. This is also a tasty plant whose leaves can be added to fresh juices and salads. Drawing, calming, cooling plantain is indispensable for any cut, scratch, or burn. Its rattle-like stalk of seeds that arises later in the year reminds us of its history of use as snakebite remedy. The seeds themselves are a form of mucilage that have especially been used to treat urinary tract pain and inflammation. In Chinese medicine, plantain seed is called “che qian zi” and is categorized as an “herb that drains dampness,” also known as a diuretic.