I am not a healthcare professional. This post is meant for informational purposes only and should not be taken as medical advice. Please use common sense and do not rely on any internet remedy if you have serious reactions to stings. Please consult with your doctor for medical questions.
Did you know that you may have a natural remedy for bee and wasp stings growing wild in your yard? Wild plantain (not the banana variety) is a very common weed that also has some great health benefits (not to mention nutritious too!).
Though there are many varieties, the photo above features Broadleaf Plantain (Plantago major)- the type that is most common in my yard. (Note: the Broadleaf Plantain stems are covered in a long patch of many teeny tiny seeds.) The leaves are- you guessed it, broader than another common variety, Narrowleaf Plantain (Plantago lanceolata), as featured below:
Narrowleaf Plantain has much longer leaves and taller stems. (Note how the seeds on the Narrowleaf variety grow in a conical shape atop the long stems.)
Plantain is pretty simple to identify. In both of these common varieties, it grows in a rosette pattern. Its leaves have smooth edges with parallel veins. Typically, you’ll find it in places with bad soil, or coming up through cracks in the driveway.
This post has some really wonderful photos to help identify wild plantain (as well as an awesome idea to make plantain vinegar for future use!), so please pop over and check it out if you would like some close up shots of individual leaves and stems.
According to the all-knowing and highly reliable Wikipedia, 😉 “The active chemical constituents are aucubin (an anti-microbial agent), allantoin (which stimulates cellular growth and tissue regeneration), and mucilage (which reduces pain and discomfort). Plantain has astringent properties, and a tea made from the leaves can be ingested to treat diarrhea and soothe raw internal membranes.” (Don’t worry, if I hadn’t heard it other places and seen it in action, I wouldn’t be quoting Wikipedia to you.)
Plantain has historically been used for all types of wounds, as it has many benefits, including being anti-inflammatory and analgesic (source), but one of our favorite uses for the plant is to help treat bee stings.
The quickest way to treat a sting with plantain is to grab a couple leaves and start mashing them in your mouth. (This makes a poultice of the leaves.) Take the mashed up bits and plaster them over the sting. They will actually draw out the venom of the stinger and help to alleviate symptoms quickly. As the poultice dries, reapply to continue to help with pain and swelling.
Remember, this remedy is meant for people who are NOT threatened with a serious reaction to stings. If you have a severe reaction, please do not hesitate to call 911 or use your EpiPen. While plantain can help to delay a severe reaction, it shouldn’t be relied upon if you’re at risk for anaphylactic shock.
We first tried plantain when my son encountered several bumblebees poking about in a flower patch. The poor guy got stung three times and immediately began developing some hives around the sting sites. My husband applied a plantain poultice in the manner described above and within about 20 minutes you couldn’t even see where the stings were. It also seemed to alleviate little J’s soreness at the sting sites.
See this attractive mash?
Since then, we’ve used plantain for stings multiple times each bee season. Each time we’ve tested it, it has been very successful.
What are your favorite uses for plantain? I would love to hear your experiences!
Bee photo credit (adaptation mine)
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Thank you for this blog it was very informative. I am just getting in to herbs and all the amazing things they can do!
The seed pods are what’s marketed in Australia as Metamucil – soluble dietary fibre. Good to chew on for your fibre needs.
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A few years ago on the farm I was stung and swelled into a rash over my entire body. Swallowing was difficult and I nealy went to the hospital. The sting was on my wrist. One day walking into town in an area with no cell service and not a house in sight for miles I was stung in the nose. Don’t ask. Hornets are evil. That’s all I can say.
My friend grabbed me some plantain leaves and I immediately trusted this, chewed them up and shoved them up my nose.
Within 10 minutes I was relieved of symptoms. I thought I was done for. This probably saved my life. No Joke. I would follow your recommendation to not rely on it for severe allergic reactions and surely an epi pen is a must have for some people.
We also use plantain in an ointment for diaper rash. A medicine woman on the reservation makes it in her home. It’s amazing.