Few lawn weeds are despised as much as broadleaf plantain. Maybe we should hold our contempt a little bit. I’m not saying we should want it in our front or even our backyard, but let’s recognize its merits.

Some might not know its name, but all have seen it and would agree it’s the ugliest weed in the yard. Broad leaves lay in a flat ring and a central spike shoots straight up from the center. This perennial trespasser doesn’t even have pretty yellow flowers like dandelions and the contrast of large spreading foliage detracts from an otherwise well-manicured lawn. Also called common plantain, it was brought here from Europe as a food crop in colonial times. It survives in nearly all environments and is common throughout most of North America. Plantain’s ability to thrive on wet compacted soils virtually insures its presence on most properties.

We know the bad points, so what are its good ones? First of all, plantain is edible raw or cooked and is a great source of vitamins A, B1, B2 and C. Foliage is also rich in minerals and mono unsaturated fatty acids. The herb has a long history of medicinal use dating back to ancient times. Some cultures used it for nearly every malady. One American Indian name for plantain translates to “life medicine.” Indians also called it “white-man’s foot” since they discovered plantain everywhere settlers had been.

Broadleaf plantain has been used to treat asthma, emphysema, bladder problems, bronchitis, fever, hypertension and rheumatism. It also helps control blood sugar levels. Root extracts can treat many digestive tract problems as well as bronchitis, sinus troubles, coughs, asthma and hay fever. Chemicals in common plantain also cause a natural aversion to tobacco. Extracts are currently being used in commercial preparations to help people stop smoking.

Crushed leaves are used to treat skin irritations including poison ivy and stinging nettle. They also help heal sunburn. I have even heard of placing a leaf inside a diaper to lessen diaper rash.

So why did it get the name “soldier’s herb?” Plantain can stem blood flow and was often used as a wound dressing in earlier times. Topical applications promote clotting and help heal damaged tissue. Plantain also contains acubin, reported in the Journal of Toxicology as a powerful anti-toxin. Allantoin, another compound found in plantains, promotes healing of wounds, cell regeneration and softens the skin. Buckhorn plantain is a narrow leaf relative with many of the same properties as common plantain. It is often more common around here. Both species are difficult to control in lawns. Broadleaf chemicals like 2,4-D and MCPP are effective against young seedlings, but established plants are tougher. Increasing application rates can injure the grass, so repeat treatments are usually necessary.

Broadleaf plantain may be useful but fits the true definition of a weed. It always seems to be growing in the wrong place.