Plantago media

Plantago media, known as the hoary plantain, is a species of flowering plant in the plantain family Plantaginaceae. It is native to central and western Europe, including Great Britain and introduced to parts of the north-east United States. Its generic name is derived from the Latin for sole; like other members of the genus Plantago, it should not be confused with the unrelated plantain, a starchy banana.

Description

A low herb. It keeps growing from year to year. It has leaves in a ring. The leaves are narrowly oval and have 7-9 veins. They are covered with dense crisped hairs. The flower spikes are much longer than the leaves. The flowers have pink stamens. They have a scent.

Edible Uses

Very young leaves can be eaten raw or cooked, offering a fairly mild flavour with slight bitterness. They are best used in salads before they become tough. The inflorescence is sweet and is traditionally sucked by children.

Traditional Uses

The leaves and stems are eaten fresh and raw or cooked. They are used as a potherb.

This uses section is brief — help expand it

Medicinal Uses

The leaves, flowering stems, and roots are astringent, deobstruent, depurative, diuretic, expectorant, haemostatic, refrigerant, and vulnerary. They are applied externally to skin inflammations, malignant ulcers, and cuts. A mouthwash made from the leaves helps relieve toothache, and a distilled water from the plant makes a good eyewash. The seeds are demulcent and laxative, containing up to 30% mucilage, which swells in the gut to act as a bulk laxative and soothe irritated membranes. The seed husks alone are sometimes used without the seeds.

Distribution

It is a temperate plant. It grows in dry grassy places. In north China it grows on wet banks and mountain slopes between 1,400-2,000 m above sea level.

Where It Grows

Andorra, Asia, Australia, Balkans, Bosnia, Britain, Central Asia, China, Europe, Falklands, Hungary, Iran, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Russia, Siberia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Switzerland, Turkey, Türkiye,

Cultivation

Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. Grows well in the spring meadow.

Propagation

Sow seed in spring in a cold frame. Once seedlings are large enough to handle, prick them out into individual pots and plant out in early summer. If seed is plentiful, a direct outdoor sowing can be made in situ from mid to late spring.

Other Uses

The leaves are used as a fungicide and are a traditional remedy for blight on fruit trees. The plant is an important food source for the caterpillars of many butterfly species and is a dynamic accumulator. The flowers are sweetly scented.

Notes

The plantains or Plantaginaceae are mostly in temperate regions. There are about 165 Plantago species.

Also Known As

Plangtarl platt, Podorozhnik, Srednja bokvica, Srednji trpotec, Volovo ucho

References (17)

• Abbet, C., et al, 2014, Ethnobotanical survey on wild alpine food plants in Lower and Central Valais (Switzerland). Journal of Ethnopharmacology 151 (2014) 624–634
• Blamey, M and Grey-Wilson, C., 2005, Wild flowers of the Mediterranean. A & C Black London. p 421
• Cerne, M., 1992, Wild Plants from Slovenia used as Vegetables. Acta Horticulturae 318
• Crate, S. A., 2008, "Eating Hay": The Ecology, Economy and Culture of Viliui Sakha Smallholders of Northeastern Siberia. Human Ecology 36:161-174
• Denes, A., et al, 2012, Wild plants used for food by Hungarian ethnic groups living in the Carpathian Basin. Acta Societatis Botanicorum Poloniae 81 (4): 381-396

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