Broadleaf Plantain
Estimated Inventory, lb : 0
Description/Taste
Broadleaf plantains are small, low-growing plants that produce leaves in basal rosettes. The leaves generally mature to 5 to 18 centimeters in length and vary in shape, depending on the age of each leaf. Young leaves, also known as cotyledons, have an oblong nature that transitions into a curved, tapered, football-like shape. Mature leaves become lanceolate, oval, to egg-shaped, and are attached to the plant by semi-woody stems. Broadleaf plantain leaves have wavy to smooth edges and transition from light green to dark green with maturity. Each leaf typically features 5 to 7 veins that run parallel from the leaf’s base, and the tip of the leaf is small and pointed. Young leaves have a crisp, tender, and succulent consistency, while older leaves become chewy, fibrous, and somewhat stringy. Several parts of the Broadleaf plantain plant are edible, including the leaves, seeds, and flowers. Broadleaf plantain leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and have an earthy, grassy, green, peppery, and subtly nutty taste.
Seasons/Availability
Broadleaf plantain leaves are typically harvested in the spring through fall, with the young, most tender leaves arriving in the spring.
Current Facts
Broadleaf plantains, botanically classified as Plantago major, are a temperate species belonging to the Plantaginaceae family. The species is native to regions of Europe and Asia and has been spread worldwide through seed dispersal and human migration. Broadleaf plantains are known by many regional names, including Common plantain, Great Plantain, Englishman’s Foot, and Waybread in English, Baartang in Hindi, Hontsribbe in Dutch, Rosripp in German, Arnoglossos and Cynoglossus in Greek, and Slanuehaidh in Irish. The fast-growing, hardy species is a perennial plant that produces low-growing rosettes of leaves, flowers, and seeds. Each plant reaches around 12 to 15 centimeters in height and typically goes dormant in the winter, growing new taproots each spring. One of the distinct features of Broadleaf plantains is their ability to spread via seed. A single Broadleaf plantain plant can produce between 14,000 to 20,000 seeds each year, and these seeds remain viable for germination for over 60 years. This characteristic has led Broadleaf plantains to earn the reputation of an aggressive weed in some regions worldwide. Despite their everyday appearance, Broadleaf plantains are well-known throughout Europe and Asia as medicinal and culinary plants. The species is not commercially cultivated, but it is widely found in nature and foraged for use as an anti-inflammatory. Broadleaf plantains are also popularly used as a nutritious culinary green, prepared similarly to spinach in fresh and cooked preparations.
Nutritional Value
Broadleaf plantains are a source of calcium to build strong bones and teeth, vitamin C to boost the immune system, vitamin A to maintain healthy organ functioning, potassium to balance fluid levels within the body, and other nutrients, including zinc, antioxidants, flavonoids, and vitamin K. In European natural medicines, Broadleaf plantains are traditionally crushed or chewed and applied topically to insect bites and stings. The crushed leaves become a soothing salve for skin rashes and other irritations. In 18th century England, Broadleaf plantain was pressed into juice and mixed with lemon as a diuretic and digestive aid. It was also used to remove slivers and thorns from the flesh. Broadleaf plantains were also famously used throughout Europe as a remedy for the respiratory tract. The leaves were made into syrups, tinctures, or combined with honey to help with phlegm, coughs, asthma, and bronchitis. In Asia, ancient Chinese remedies used the leaves as tea to remove blood from urine, and in India, the leaves were consumed to reduce inflammation in the body and treat burns and insect wounds.
Applications
Broadleaf plantains have a grassy, peppery, and earthy taste suited for fresh and cooked preparations. Young, tender leaves are primarily served raw and are used as a salad green. Broadleaf plantains can be used in any preparation calling for spinach, and the leaves are often blanched before serving to enhance their succulent nature. Young leaves can also be sauteed as a simple side dish, mixed into dips, or stirred into soups, curries, and stews. Older, more mature leaves have a chewier nature and are reserved for cooked preparations. Mature greens can be boiled or steamed and served with roasted meats, fried in coconut oil as a crisp chip, pureed and mixed into ghee, or blanched and added to casseroles and pasta. In Northeastern India, Broadleaf plantains are sometimes cooked with potatoes and then coated in a flavorful chutney as a main dish. In addition to culinary use, Broadleaf plantain leaves can be dried and used to make tea. The seeds are also edible and can be eaten raw or ground and made into meals or porridges. Broadleaf plantain leaves pair well with aromatics such as garlic, ginger, onions, chile peppers, and shallots, spices including rosemary, thyme, cardamom, cumin, and turmeric, meats such as beef, pork, poultry, and turkey, potatoes, bell peppers, broccoli, beans, and cauliflower. Freshly harvested Broadleaf plantain leaves should be immediately consumed for the best quality and flavor.
Ethnic/Cultural Info
In Europe, a folk legend shares the origins of Broadleaf plantains. It is said that a young girl was waiting by the roadside. It is unknown what or who she was waiting for, but variations of the story include waiting for her lover. The girl waited and waited, but no one came. She eventually waited so long that she grew roots and became a roadside plant, able to withstand weather, tramples, and environmental conditions. Broadleaf plantain plants arise each spring from the plant’s previous seeds, often occurring in the same location, further adding to the legend that the young girl is still waiting. Broadleaf plantain plants are also commonly found along roadsides. In North America, the species earned the name “White Man’s Footprint,” as the plants sprung up with the arrival of the Europeans. Local tales among indigenous North American tribes claimed that the species grew from every place that Europeans walked and lived, especially among the European settlements.
Geography/History
Broadleaf plantains are native to Europe and Asia and have been growing wild since ancient times. The species spread through seed dispersal with the help of the wind, animals, and human migration, eventually being introduced to most regions worldwide. Broadleaf plantains were a prevalent medicinal and culinary plant throughout Europe and were frequently mentioned in various literary texts, including several works of Shakespeare. The plant was also common in monastery gardens for its medicinal properties and was used in natural remedies among countryside communities and field workers. European colonists carried Broadleaf plantains to North America, and they were planted as a medicinal species. It later naturalized and spread throughout the continent. Less is known about Broadleaf plantain’s use in Asia, but the species has been noted in medicinal texts in India and China. The species is considered a common foraged green and is eaten as a nutritional element in culinary dishes. Today, Broadleaf plantains are found worldwide in mostly temperate regions. The plants thrive in disturbed soil and are often seen in meadows, gardens, lawns, roads, pastures, vineyards, orchards, or along trails. The Broadleaf plantains featured in the photograph above were sourced through Mao Market, a local market in Kohima, the capital city of Nagaland, a northeastern state in India.
Recipe Ideas
Recipes that include Broadleaf Plantain. One
is easiest, three is harder.| Eat the Weeds |
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Roasted Broadleaf Plantain Chips |
| Mommy Potamus |
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Plantain Salve Recipe (Homemade First Aid Ointment Not Edible) |
