Branched Plantain (Plantago arenaria)
Other names sand plantain
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Annual
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
Succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in a sunny position. This species is cultivated in many areas for its seed, which is used medicinally.
Propagation
Seed - sow spring in a cold frame. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and plant them out in early summer A sowing can be made outdoors in situ in mid to late spring if you have enough seeds.
Edible uses
Young leaves - raw or cooked.
Medicinal uses
Psyllium has been used as a safe and effective laxative for thousands of years in Western herbal medicine. Both the dried seeds and the seed husks are demulcent, emollient and purgative. The jelly-like mucilage produced when Psyllium is soaked in water has the ability to absorb toxins within the large bowel. Thus it helps to remove toxins from the body and can be used to reduce auto-toxicity.
Habitat
Disturbed ground, dunes and grassy places.
Native range
S. Europe to S.W. Asia. Naturalized in Britain.