2026 Issue #24

Plantain: The Backyard Herb Every Family Should Know

Hi Reader,

As an herbalist, I can tell it's finally summer.

And no, it's not because I'm harvesting amazing plants like nettle, clover, and wild violet.

It's because the questions start rolling in:

☀️ "What helps sunburn?"
🦟 "What can I use on bug bites?"
🌿 "Do you have anything for poison ivy?"

My answer is usually pretty simple.

It's a plant that's probably growing in your yard right now.

Plantain.

(Not the banana-looking thing from the grocery store. The common backyard weed.)

Plantain has been one of my favorite herbs for years because it's so versatile. It's soothing, easy to use, and chances are you can find some growing in your lawn, driveway, or sidewalk cracks.

Which means when summer adventures don't go according to plan, you may already have what you need nearby.

Here are two of my favorite ways to use it:

🌿 Plantain Tea

Harvest 5–6 fresh leaves and give them a good rinse.

Chop them into smaller pieces and place them in a mug or mason jar.

Pour 8–12 ounces of hot water over the leaves and let them steep for about 10 minutes.

From there, you've got options.

You can drink the tea.

You can let it cool and use it as a skin rinse.

Or my favorite summer trick:

Soak a clean washcloth or rag in the cooled tea and place it directly on irritated skin.

Simple. Effective. And surprisingly soothing.

🌿 Plantain Poultice

This is the old-fashioned herbalist method.

And honestly? It still works.

Pick a few fresh leaves and rinse them.

Then crush them with your fingers or chew them slightly (yes, herbalists have been doing this forever 😄) until the juices start releasing.

Place the leaves directly on the affected area and secure with a cloth or bandage if needed.

That's it.

No fancy equipment.

No trip to the store.

Just a weed and a little know-how.

One of the things I love most about herbs is that they remind us that some of the best solutions aren't complicated.

Sometimes they're growing right under our feet.

And if you're in Central Wisconsin, this Tuesday is our Sound Bath and the grand opening of our farm tea stand. All of last season's teas will be on sale. Come and check it out!

xo,