Wild Craft of the Month - Plantain Balm

Plantain Oil and Salve.

Plantain is wonderful for stings and rashes.

Recipe ~

Pick some fresh clean Plantain leaves.

Lay out and dry in a warm place such as an airing cupboard until dry and ‘crisp’.

Crumble some into a jam jar to fill to ½ and top up with olive oil to about 1”below the rim.

Place the jar in a saucepan filled with a couple of inches of cold water, and bring to a very slow simmer.

Simmer for 30 mins to 1 hr. Do not let water splash in, do not let water boil dry !

When cool pour the oil through a sieve lined with muslin, then squeeze until all the oil is extracted from the herbs. This is Plantain Oil which can be used as it is.

If you wish to make Plantain Salve take 50mls Plantain Oil and add 7g of organic beeswax, stir together in a small bowl over simmering water until blended.

Test a teaspoon full on a plate for consistency when it sets, add a little more oil if too firm or a little more beeswax if it is too soft.

Jar up and label.