I love plantain. Not banana plantain, but Great Plantain, the stuff that grows all over fields and yards (like mine) that aren't quite all grass. It has medicinal properties and I've even transplanted a bunch of them from my yard into my garden into a pretty row. I don't have a photo right now but check out this photo below from here
I've always loved herbs & plants and spent a lot of time when I was younger researching the medicinal properties of plants, fruits, etc. I collected volumes of books (before the internet was big) on the subject and used to go hunting for the herbs and would make herbal teas & concoctions. My friends would make fun of me and I totally creeped them out with my weirdness. One of the best herbs around that's readily accessible is plantain. A puree of it is great for cuts and scrapes and even zits. (!!) I wish I could say I'm past them, but I'm not. So, first you pick a couple of the leaves:
Next, wet the leaves and make a puree of them (I like to do it with a chef knife... my dad made the one above and it's the best!!) Below is the yummy-looking mixture ready to be applied:
hahaha okay and I seriously can't believe I'm sharing this picture with you.... but then you apply it to any trouble areas and just use scotch tape or a band-aid to keep it on your skin for 15-20 minutes.
{Please forget you ever saw this}
hahaha ok, but I'm serious when I tell you that it really works. If you don't mind looking like a fool, then this stuff is the best. (And it also gives the whole family someone to make fun of.)
Have an awesome weekend!!
As a decorator & a textile designer, this is my place to muse... perfection doesn't interest me; Reality and charm do. Fresh floppy flowers from the garden over long-stemmed roses any day, I love it when things are slightly off and tell a story. 
38 comments:
I have that stuff all over my yard and just yesterday was wondering how I can easily and quickly kill it. ;) Maybe I'll hold off on killing ALL of it for now.
My sons will thank you.
pve
That is fantastic. And I think it's awesome that you shared the photo. :)
I have way too much of that taking over my yard. I'll have to try it!
I think you are simply awesome. I LOVE that you posted that photo. Thanks for the tip and for always giving great design inspiration.
I like you even more now that you shared this post! I love to talk medicinal plants, herbs etc. with people and give them advice on how to solve health problems, etc. I have yet to try this though. Thanks for sharing, seriously.
I was totally that kid!! We could have been BFFs! I had my own herb garden as a teenager, and I made the best zit cure with a tincture of dried Yarrow flowers. This reminds me I need to plant those next spring!
i became a follower just yesterday and am loving having done so! you're a real doll for sharing the photo!!! i'll be trying this when no one else is home. :)
http://perfectimperfection13.blogspot.com/
LOL, love the pic!! Thanks for sharing this!
I'm on my way now to pick some for my grand daughter! shes at that age!
Thanks so much!
Ohmygosh! Who knew?? Love that picture, by the way! :)
Haha...you're adorable! But seriously, who would've known? Thanks for sharing your secrets!
Awesome!!! Love the pic! And I'm definitely going to look into whether that stuff grows around here. Thanks for the tip!
This totally cracked me up. My husband is Australian and he swears by Tea Tree oil for similar purposes and stocks up when we are home. I think you both are up there with the guy with the windex in "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." :)Now I'll have to search my yard for this stuff!!! Have a great weekend.
You made me laugh. hard. you look like you have beautiful skin, so you are doing something right! :)
Hahaha! I have never heard of this plant....I wonder if they are not around too much in California? But I am now on the hunt! My daughters (and I) thanks you!
I have never seen this plant before but would definetly try it on the honker I have on my chin right now! I am going to have to look this up and see if they can grown in GA. Thanks for the tip!
No way! Never heard of that.
Kelly
you are adorable, spinach face! thanks so much for the tip...
I will definitely try it. I love homeopathic remedies and have this stuff all over the yard.
I love the fact that you would model the "cure"! smiles
This post is a perfect example of why everyone loves you and your blog Lauren - you are such a down-to-earth, 'real' person, and I think it's fantastic to see a post like this! My kids raced in to the room to see what I was laughing at, and when I showed them your pic, my teenage daughter said "wow, isn't she brave, that's awesome!' And of course, she hit the nail right on the head. Thanks as always Lauren, absolutely love it! K xx
Hee hee! You're very brave- I can hardly work up the nerve to post pictures of myself with makeup on, let alone plantain :) Thanks for the tip!
Good to know, Thanks for the insight!!
Forgive me but I am so laughing right now, I just yanked some of those weeds out of my front yard this morning and tossed them. I had no idea what they were called or that they were actually useful for something. I’ll have to try make your puree next time I have some to yank out and see how they work on scrapes, thankfully I’m past the pimple years! Thank you for sharing!
This is why we love and adore you!!
I didn't know you were so into herbs, my mom is too, she has the cure for so many things inside the right herb.
xo
Maria
lauren you are still adorable....inside and out!
another use; poison ivy to ease the itch
xo
debra
Laurin, I have been pullin up that stuff, thought it was an unusual looking weed. Thank you for this post. yvonne
One of my daughtes greatest memories is of me letting her fall off a horse that I was leading, she told me the saddle was loose... after she hit the ground on her knees and began to cry, I calmly picked some of that wonder plant, chewed it up and split it out in my hand , then slapped it on her knees... If you can do this fast, it will stop a bruise from forming... I have said this before, you should have been my daughter!!
You look about 12 years old without makeup.
Only you can look cute with green plants on your face!
You are even beautiful with green goo all over your face! Wish I had some of that right now!!! I could use it!
I'm in hysterics over the photo, but with three teenagers I may have to see if that grows here.
hahah. I LOVE that you posted this... Seriously, can we hang out soon?? :)
sadly i do not have this plant growing anywhere near anywhere.
but i do have zits...and i am 40.
more now than when i was 20.
or 14 or 19 or 30...
yaaaay!!!!!
Great Tip! There is something about have kids and more pimples to go with it!
OK, I've never tried this but I'll do just about anything to get rid of some zits on my face right now- thanks for the tip!!
I've read that plantain also helps with the itch of poison ivy... have never tried it, but I'd love to know if it's worked for anyone else.
I've used the plantain trick for cuts- stops the sting of scrapes & scratches; great for kids, especially when we are planting in the field at the farm and nowhere close to a bandaid. I pick some plantain, chew it up (I know this is gross to some) and stick it to the scrape. Also, used it for bee sting.
But I didn't know it works for zits- great to know. And love the photo- you still pull off lovely with little bits of weeds stuck to your face. Not everyone can do that- too cute!
thanks for the tip!
Post a Comment