Mexican plantain (Plantago australis)
At a glance
- Lifecycle
- Perennial (hardy)
- Exposure
- Full sun
Cultivation
We have very little information on this species but it has been growing successfully with us since 1990 and seems to be fully hardy. It succeeds in any moderately fertile soil in a sunny position.
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
Plantain seeds contain up to 30% mucilage which swells up in the gut, acting as a bulk laxative and soothing irritated membranes. A poultice of the leaves has been used in the treatment of cuts and boils.
Habitat
Not known