It may be nearly impossible to keep on top of the weeds growing in your lawn, but they may actually prove useful. In fact, they may also be useful during a SHTF situation. Check out the plantain, one of Mother Nature's hardiest little survivors, below.
Plantain, not to be confused with the banana type fruit, also called Plantain, is a plant which can be found almost anywhere. In fact, if you’re not living in the city, it’s kind of hard not to bump into it.
Medicinal Uses:
Allantoin: This chemical is an anti-inflammatory good for wound healing and auto-immune diseases. (Source) Interestingly still, allantoin is an ingredient in a few cosmetic creams because of its cell growth stimulation properties and can also be found in creams for nappy rash in babies (see recipe section later in this article).
Flavonoids: Studies have found a variety of medicinal uses of flavonoids, including anti-microbial (including anti-virus, bacteria and fungus), and anti-diarrheal (Studies)
Phenolic compounds: These are another group of chemical compounds which have anti-oxidant properties useful for a wide variety of conditions (such as prostatitis).
The compounds in Plantain make it a highly viable plant for medicinal purposes when no modern medicine is available.
A Plantain Poultice
This recipe uses the anti-inflammatory and anti-microbial activity of the Plantain. It is great for cuts, sores and insect bites, including the bite of the brown recluse spider.
Take a handful of Plantain leaves
Mash the leaves (or better still chew them, our saliva can help release the active ingredient for the poultice – if you do this, don’t swallow the juice as you need that for the poultice)
Warm the resulting mash in your hand and place this on the affected area
As an alternative, you can use the leaves from a Plantain tea (see Plantain tea recipe below) and use this instead as the poultice.
What makes the plantain so good is that it holds not only antibacterial properties, but also antiviral, and antifungus, can be used to treat everything from diarrhea to inflammatory diseases. One of the most useful properties for the prepper will be the fact that it can be used to treat brown recluse bites, which may become more common when more people venture into the spider's territory when SHTF.
There's a lot more information on this helpful weed; if you'd like to learn more, read more at Ask A Prepper.
Andrew Bentley is this right
My yard is FULL of Plantain.Our Rabbit Loves it.But I’ve heard a lot of good things about it.
Ron Sainsbury
I feed these to my pig a lot.
This stuff grows everywhere here in Oregon.
This article said absolutely nothing didn’t even say what the plant was
it’s called poppa’s plant really good for poison ivy & skin rashes
Dam, I used to stop my tortoise from eating these. Apparently he knew what he was doing and I didn’t..lol
Looking at the picture, I assume they are referring to plantain. I “weed” that grows everywhere.
I use it primarily as a topical antimicrobial – like Neosporin or bacitracin. It works as a poultice or a salve. Use some vegetable oil to steep it like tea, for several hours, then strain that and thicken it with bees wax or paraffin wax, to a consistency like carmex that’s been in your pocket to long. Comfrey is probably the only
Nicholas Eadler Nathan Wentland
You can just roll it between your hands to get it juicy. Then rub you wound with it. Very effective.
The Rabbit ? 😉
Ground hog, plantain, white top, dandelion, wild mustard…..glad I grew up country..
I make a salve for cuts and bug bites from my rugels plantain in the garden
Denise Zuñiga
I am trying to find something good from Canadian Thistles…
I put these in coconut oil and wash my face with it every day