How to Make Plantain Salve
Plantain is excellent for treating all manner of wounds and skin irritations. Bug bites, cuts and scrapes are some of the most common issues treated with plantain.
While it would be beneficial to treat such conditions with fresh plantain, it may not be available when you need it. Thus, the plantain salve is born.
This plantain salve is good to have on hand when you are out and about. Apply to cuts, scrapes, and bites to reduce inflammation and promote healing.
This salve is prepared using dried plantain since some may not have access to fresh. However, this could be made with fresh herbs. Just be careful that the herbs are clean and watch for any mold developing when preparing the infused oil
How to Make Plantain Salve
To prepare this recipe you will need:
1/2 cup Olive oil
1/3 cup dried plantain
1/2 ounce beeswaxMakes 1/2 cup of salve.
You will also need a pot, cheesecloth, measuring cup, and a jar (if infusing the oil via the slow/cold method).
Step One: Infuse oil
Infusing oil may sound fancy, but it is nothing more than letting herbs sit in oil for a time. Anyone can do that!
Method One:
The best way to infuse oil and keep as much of the herbal goodness intact is to place herbs in a jar, cover with oil, cap, and allow to sit for about 10 days.
For this recipe, I used 1/3 cup of dried plantain and 1/2 cup of oil (I use olive oil).
But, you could cut out this step entirely by purchasing Plantain Herbal Oil from Mountain Rose Herbs. It's already infused and ready to go.
Method Two:
A quicker method, which is still good, but does reduce the potency of the herbs a little (due to the heat) is to place the herbs and oil in the top of a double boiler and warm over the low heat for 30 minutes.
When I am using this method, I sometimes turn off the heat and cover the pot to keep some of the warmth in and let the herb/oil mix sit for longer. I do this because I want as much of the herbs properties to get into the oil as possible.
You can also purchase Plantain Herbal Oil which is already infused and ready to go. They simply warm gently and add the beeswax.
Step Two: Strain out the herbs
Once the oil is infused, strain the herbs out of the oil by pouring through some cheesecloth.
Be sure to squeeze out all the oil. You don't want to waste any!
Oil infused with plantain. I love how green it is!
Step Three: Add beeswax
Measure 1 ounce of beeswax per cup of infused oil.
For this recipe, I used 1/2 cup of Olive oil and 1/2 ounce of beeswax.
Place beeswax into a heavy-duty saucepan and begin to melt over low heat. Once the beeswax has begun to melt add the infused oil and stir to combine.
Once the beeswax is completely melted, pour into clean a clean jar (or jars).
Plantain salve cooling
Allow to cool completely before adding the lid.
Salve will keep for up to a year.
As a silly aside: A just LOVE making salve. It makes me feel very accomplished! I hope you will give it a try.
If not this salve, then maybe the Calendula salve or simple lavender salve. Both are easy and so much fun! Oh, and they are useful, too.
For supplies:
I purchase most of my supplies from Mountain Rose Herbs. They have oils, dried herbs, beeswax and containers. I love Mountain Rose Herbs because I can get everything I need in one place at a decent price.
Originally published in July 2012.
I’m a little lost as to how this is plantain salve, if there is no plantain in it.. 🙂
It tells you to let the plantain in the oil for 10 days. The plantain is infused into the oil
Or I guess I should say, there is no recipe to show what is in the salve, herbs and ingredient-wise, other than oil and “herbs”.
Thanks for pointing that out. I should have said dried plantain instead of dried herbs! Oops. Going to fix now.
Thanks 🙂
Sure thing! And to be honest with you, when I read plantain, I think the banana-like fruit in the grocery store. It is not an obvious connection to plantain leaf, specifically. So, when it said herbs, I was doubly mystified, haha!
I appreciate all your neat posts! Thank you. 🙂
My recipe is a bit different and it’s one my hubby even swears by it for stopping the itch from bug bites. http://www.bloombakecreate.com/2011/05/plantain-anti-itch-balm/
This stuff grows crazy in yards around here.
So, does this use plantain as in the banana like thing? I’d love a good salve!
Thanks for linking up to Healthy 2Day Wednesday! Hope to see you again this Wednesday.
It’s not the banana thing. It’s a weed 🙂 I need to write a post on that as many people have had the same question!
Thanks for linking up to Wildcrafting Wednesday. You have one of this week’s featured posts – http://www.commonsensehome.com/birdsfoot-trefoil/
I love plantain salve.
FYI: (online resource) Soapers Choice has beeswax pastilles in bulk….best price I’ve found, your order can be shipped or option to do pick up (chicago area). I am making a salve w/coconut oil, shea butter & plantain…later tonight I’ll add the beeswax. Hoping this helps my son’s eczema & get rid of the itch.
You could post a photo of the plaintain plant up front, and list its scientific name, to clarify which plant you’re using.
hello, i was wondering if you or someone on here could tell me if mountian rose herbs beeswax smells nice or if it has a smoky smell to it? i bought beeswax from breambleberry and it smells horrible so much so that i cant use it at all and have to throw it out. so before i get started on making a salve i want to make sure the beeswax smells nice. thank you so much.
The Beeswax from Mountain Rose Herbs smells great. I’ve never had any that was smoky.
thank you so much. its really helpful. 🙂
try coconut oil as I have heard it is a better “carrier” oil than olive oil
Wow, fantastic blog layout! How long have you been running a blog for?
you make running a blog glance easy. The total glance of your website is wonderful, let alone the content!
I would love to buy your book, but would first want to know if your measurements are cups and spoons instead of grams? Will appreciate if you can let me know before I buy. I would prefer grams.
Hi Marica,
Currently, my ebooks are in cups and spoons. I am working to add weighted measurements to everything, but that is taking some time. Thanks for checking!