Plantain: first aid in your backyard: discover the saving grace of this common weed with herbalist Corinna Wood.

Twelve years ago, as I was walking barefoot with a friend in the Catskill Mountains, I stepped on a bee. Suddenly, I remembered my last encounter with a bee: restless nights and over a week of pain and itching. My friend, who was studying herbs with me, suggested plantain, which was growing right at our feet. I said, "Sure, plantain may be good for skin stuff, but this is a bee sting! How much good could it do?"

Still feeling sorry for myself, I decided to try the plantain poultice. After just a minute, to my astonishment, the itching and burning had almost completely disappeared! Ten minutes later, the pain began to come back. I put on a fresh poultice and again experienced immediate relief. I replaced the poultice again half an hour later, then several hours later, then a few more times over the next day. That was enough to heal the sting completely. No exasperating itching. No restless nights.

I no longer dread bee stings. Over the last twelve years, I have turned to plantain many times--when my child, my friends, and myself have been stung. We have all learned that, especially if we reach for the plantain right away, it offers immediate relief. And the plantain is always just a few steps away!

Plantain, one of the most widespread "weeds" in the world, is the first-choice remedy for many skin ailments. It is sale and effective for not only bee stings, but also for bleeding, cuts, bruises, bug bites, hemorrhoids, and itchy skin. Its ability to draw out infection--as well as splinters and even glass shards is especially remarkable.

The easiest way to make a plantain poultice is to chew up the leaf, put it on the wound, and cover it with a band-aid to hold it in place. Saliva actually contains many antibacterial properties (which may be why animals lick their wounds). If a "spit poultice" is not for you, you could chop the plantain with a knife or in the blender with a little water.

So how do you find plantain? Luckily, it is one of the top three plants in lawns, along with dandelion and grass. There are actually two species of plantain that grow in our area, which can be used interchangeably: lance-leaved plantain (Plantago lanceolata) and round-leaved plantain (Plantago major) (pictured here).

The easiest way to identify both types of plantain is that the veins of the leaves are parallel. Most plants have leaves with veins that fork outward from a central midrib. Plantain, on the other hand, has side veins and a midrib which all run parallel to one another down to the base of the plant. Plantain also has a distinctive, compact seed head that turns from green to brown as the seeds mature. All parts of the plant, including the seeds, are edible.

To enjoy plantain's healing properties year round, you may want to make your own plantain oil. The oil will last you through the winter when plantain dies back. This oil also comes in handy when mosquitoes make a meal of your arms and legs; dozens of poultices are probably more than anyone would care to make!

Plantain is what my family uses instead of an over-the-counter antibiotic cream. When my two-year-old hurts himself, he knows where to find plantain and a band-aid. A day later, as he takes off his band-aid, my heart warms as he delights, "Mommy, it's healed! The poultice made it better!"

TRY IT!

Making Plantain Oil

Choose a dry, sunny day and harvest the plantain in the afternoon, once the dew has dried. Tightly pack a clean, dry jar full of plantain leaves. Then pour olive oil over the leaves, to the top of the jar.

Place the jar out of direct sunlight and let it sit at room temperature for six weeks. Every day for the first week, top off the oil so that it completely covers the plant material. After six weeks, strain out the plant material, and now you have your own green, medicinal plantain oil!

Corinna Wood is director of Red Moon Herbs in Black Mt, NC, where she has opened the hearts of thousands to the wisdom of the plants, the earth, and their own bodies. She can be contacted at [phone] or by visiting redmoonherbs.com