Plantain (Herb)

Identity

Common Name

Plantain (Herb)

Scientific Name

Plantago major

Botanical Family

Plantaginaceae

Native Region

Europe and Asia (cosmopolitan)

Cultivation Regions

Europe, Asia, North America, worldwide (temperate)

Plant Parts Used

Leaves

Synonyms

Common Plantain, Waybread, Broadleaf Plantain

Caffeine Level

Caffeine Free

A low perennial rosette of large broad oval dark green leaves with prominent parallel veins, and tall slender leafless spikes of tiny greenish-white flowers; the leaves are the part used.

Historical Background

Common plantain ('waybread') has been a revered wound and respiratory herb of European, Anglo-Saxon, and Indigenous North American traditions for millennia. Its broad leaves brew a gentle, mucilaginous tea traditionally sipped for throat and skin comfort.

Earliest recorded uses: European, Anglo-Saxon, and Indigenous North American traditions for millennia; a common 'waybread' and wound herb.

Traditional Uses

These uses document historical traditions and do not imply proven effectiveness.

Flavor & Aroma

Aroma: Mild, slightly earthy, green, cucumber-like

Tea Information

Research Summary

Plantain has a long tradition for wound, throat, and respiratory comfort; preclinical work shows anti-inflammatory and wound-healing activity. Clinical evidence is insufficient; it is not a treatment for wounds, cough, or any disease, though it remains a gentle folk tea.

Evidence levels reflect the currently available scientific literature and may change as new research emerges. Where evidence is limited or conflicting, this is stated plainly.

References & Sources