Plantain Power
The underestimated heal all that is almost always kicking around underfoot, no matter which corner of the world smiles at you
I first formally studied Western Herbalism back in 1996, when it was still considered witchcraft. As an utterly enchanted green eyed baby hippy of 23 - only an unknown year away from becoming a mother myself - I decided I wanted to learn how to make medicine from plants and I did, studying with some wonderful teachers at the old Australasian College of Natural Therapies in Glebe when that part of Sydney was another world altogether. It was their careful crafting and deep connection to plants that stayed with me, long after I left every afternoon.
Skip forward almost a whole childhood (that little babe’s formative years) our move to the country and his bolt back to the city at the end of high school for university and I was still living in the country, in a tiny town on the edge of a forest. It was more than 15 years ago now having built my day job witch’s business that I felt myself returning to the grassroots practice of herbalism. Yearning for the visceral process of it: the finding and picking, the preparing and making, the healing joy. After years immersed in more frequency based healing and energetics, cards and ‘craft, it was balm in every sense. I adopted the moniker Lady Bohemia’s Magics for my creations, from a nickname I had been given by a psychic friend a decade earlier when I was getting my own cottage industry off the ground.
Back then I conceived and brought to life my first range of flower essences which are still available today and always crafted to order. I went back to my books and brought even more old herbals. I took workshops with Pat Hall and Stacey de Marco to reconnect to both wildcrafting and making as well as the magical infusion of plants to potions. I re-read all my old herbalism notes and dug anew into grimoires. I planted more and again.
When I broke my ankle 6 years ago and was laid up on my lounge for months I re-qualified in salves, balms and poultices with Kami McBride. It helped body and mind, as salves always do, working on multiple levels to reorient me after the break and reset my course That’s what clean breaks are for, don’t you know. I got better, left town for a cottage garden by the sea and began to plant in earnest.
Ever since my twenties, and ‘most every time a plant sings out its name to me, I make something from its blessing. Medicine or food, a wand or something for the fairies and dragons in the garden. This is not midnless production. I share time and space and grace with that plant. Come to know it just a little bit better, listen to its wisdom and observe its way in the world. All of these are part of its magic.
On my way to a south coast winter solstice, I had stopped to stretch legs at a beautiful bluff outside Kiama drawn by the majestic Norfolk Pine on the edge of the bluff in howling wind. As I was wandering to the point I spied huge tracts of plantain, clearly in its element. I heard its true name sing in my head. In this case it was the lanceolata that rang out. Plantain has long narrow leaves with many spines that look like lances... and it is used among many other things to treat stab wounds, deep cuts that bleed and weep. This is its Doctrine of Signatures, a theory of plants that was first conceived in the West by Paracelcus in the 14th century. The plant showing through form and function what it is best indicated for as food or medicine.
Several years ago I sliced my heel very badly under a screen door (arms full on the way out, slowing its slam with my foot, still makes me wince to this day) and it couldn’t be stitched. It bled and wept and hurt like all hell on a cold Autumn day. It laid me up for weeks. Every day I changed the dressing the cut would open up again. It felt like it might never heal. Plantain whispered in my head and I went out to my front garden to harvest a handful of leaves. The instructions I found in my old books were rudimentary but I was mad with gauze and pain. I was to chew it up to form a paste with my saliva and pack it into the cut. Then I was to use another leaf to lay over the cut. Then bandage as normal.
The healing was nothing short of miraculous. After a week of pain and limping, I would have tried anything but within days the skin beneath the plantain had knitted itself back together and a scar was forming. The leaf matter seemed to absorb the fluid laying down skin cells that did not rip back up under the soft touch of the dressing leaf. Soon I was almost walking normally and damn close to jumping for joy. I have been growing plantain continuously since.
Plantain grows absolutely everywhere and is prolific all over the place, as most heal all plants are. In gigantic supply wherever you look if you know how to spot them. Even if you aren’t a plant nerd there are apps for that now. Alternatively - and this is my favourite way to play with nature and learn through proximity and care - you can source and grow the plant yourself, become deeply familiar with its life cycle and moods, likes and dislikes, its true essence. Then a plant’s wisdom wholly opens up to you.
The Crafting
Every time I make up a batch of anything, I keep copious notes. If you do not chart your process and results, you can never see the patterns nature is weaving through your life.
This particular bunch of plantain was handpicked less than two hours after the Capricorn full moon had peaked and within the still zone of the Winter solstice in 2024. The sky was dark and rolling on a windy stormy day lit alternatively by rainbows and lightning. I firmly believe that these factors - the sky, the moon, the weather, the day - all add their essence to the brew. As well as those I add into the crafting process and mine own too. I believe this to be true of all we brew or make and I keep my mind upon it, always. These influences are listed below.
Apothekerrie Plantain Salve
Prepared 24th June 2024
Harvested 22nd June
Capricorn full moon / Winter solstice
Preparing the plantain for brewing //
Supplementary influences: white cockatoo, ginger, willow, turpentine, ginger, malachite orgone prism, shells, bay
Making the base oil for the salve //
Ingredients: Australian cold pressed EV olive oil, narrow leafed plantain (sp. Plantago lanceolata)
Supplementary influences on the brew //
water element (steam), malachite orgone pyramid, celtic cross, tree spirits, healing and magical intention
Bottled and sealed with love and sigil
So that small batch of my own plantain salve is supercharged as above. Every batch since has had its own distinct cocktail of influences, shaped by stars and moon, weather and want, need and intention.
Plantain is wonderful for just about every skin complaint you can think of as well as the big ones like burns and eczema. I’ve used mine for ticks, stings and bites too. Just one of those brilliant heal all balms to have in easy reach in the fridge for when you need it.
Find our more about the Apothekerrie Plantain Salve here.
