Variety of Oil Infusions: Rosemary, Plantian, Blend Mix, Peppermint
Peppermint infusion:
PLANTAIN
COMMON NAME: Plantain
LATIN NAME: Plantago major (LINN.)
FAMILY: N.O. Plantaginaceae
COMMON NAMES: Broad-leaved Plantain, Ripple Grass, Waybread, Slan-lus. Waybroad, Snakeweed, Cuckoo’s Bread, Englishman’s Foot, White Man’s Foot, (Anglo-Saxon) Weybroed.
PROPERTIES: Refrigerant, diuretic, deobstruent and somewhat astringent, anti-inflammatory, vulnerary, and externally stimulant.
PICTURE:
DISTRIBUTION AND HABITAT: You will most likely find this herb on a path, sidewalk cracks, in most yards. There are two varieties of plantain that look different from one another but are interchangeably. Slender flower stalks will sprout around the summer solstice; you can easily spot the abundance of plantain by all the flower stalks that reach up toward the sky.
BLOOMS: All summer long.
HARVEST: Plantain is usually plentiful and can be easily harvested anytime from early spring until frost.
PARTS USED: Root, leaves, flower-spikes.
MEDICINAL APPLICATIONS: Colds, flu, asthma, emphysema, bronchitis, fevers, hypertension, rheumatism, bladder problems, gastritis, ulcers, diarrhea, constipation, irritable bowel, cystitis, sinusitis, coughs, kidney stones, intestinal complaints, goiter, PMS, regulating menstrual flow, hoarseness, congestion, hay fever, and as a blood sugar stabilizer.
Aerial parts / leaves can be used to make juice, tinctures, poultice, gargle, syrup, rinse and ointments
Seeds: would be used of an infusion/tea by adding one teaspoon of plantain dried seeds to a cup of boiling water, allow to cool and drink. The mucilage is a good night time drink to treat constipation.
MY NOTES FOR PLANTAIN INFUSION
Botanical: Plantain.
Origin: Bulgaria
Purchased at: www.herbalcom.com
Amount of botanical used: 16 ounces of plantain leaves.
Oil and amount used: I used 10 pounds of coconut 76.
Method: I used a crockpot (3 –4 hours at a time), on and off so it wouldn’t get to hot and burn.
This process I did for about 2 weeks, letting it rest for 2-3 days at a time before I would heat it up again.
Packaged: Glass “Ball” canning jar.
Date: Infusion was started on the 6th of January, the moon is in Taurus which would be the best time to do infusions.
How I plan on using my infusion: make a herbal salve from this oil to soften, soothe and heal any manner of skin conditions. Simply add 1 oz. of melted beeswax to warmed infused oil. Stir over low heat until the beeswax and oil are uniformly combined, and then pour into clean jars or tubs.
Uses: Use plantain-infused oil in just about all of our oil-based products, such as salves, lip balms, body oils, etc.
