Plantain Salve - Recipe

Plantain the wonder weed in your backyard! Learn to make a first aid ointment that will amaze you!

Plantain Salve

I went into detail in this post about the amazing properties of plantain leaf. This is a staple in our home apothecary, and it is so easy to make!

What you'll need

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups dried plantain leaves

2.  8 ounces carrier oil (olive oil, coconut oil, or sweet almond oil)

3.  1 ounce beeswax pellets or grated beeswax

4. Optional essential oils such as lavender and/or tea tree. The usage (short term/long term/children/adults) would determine the drops of essential oils used. For an easy-to-follow essential oil usage chart see this post)

Supplies

1. mason jar with lid

2. optional - double boiler, or pot and glass bowl

3. fine mesh strainer and optional but suggested, cheesecloth

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1: Collect and prepare the plantain leaves:

   Collect about 2 cups of plantain leaf.

   Clean the plantain leaves thoroughly with water to remove any dirt or debris. Pat them dry with a clean towel or let them dry over a day or so completely. Water is the enemy of oil so it ias important to have no moisture in your oil so there isn’t mold or bacteria growth.

Plantain Growing Wildly in our Fruit Orchard

Be sure you are collecting from an unsprayed. chemical free area

Step 2:  Infuse the plantain leaves in oil:

   Chop the dry plantain leaves into small pieces, place them in a glass jar and cover them and ensure the leaves are completely covered with oil. Give it a gentle shake. Seal the jar and place it in a conveniently located spot for 4-6 weeks, shaking it gently every day to ensure thorough infusion. After the infusion period, strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth.

Note: If you need the oil quickly. place the dry plantain leaves the jar and cover them with oil again, ensuring the leaves are completely covered with oil.

Place the jar in the top portion of a double boiler or in a heat safe glass bowl.

Step 3:   Set up the double boiler:

   Fill the bottom portion of the double boiler or pot with water and place it on the stove over low to medium heat. Place the top portion containing the plantain leaves and oil on top.

 Step 4 Heat gently:

   Allow the water in the bottom portion to gently simmer, heating the oil and plantain leaves indirectly. Let the mixture infuse for about 1-2 hours on low heat, stirring occasionally.

Step 5 Strain the oil:

   After the infusion period, strain the oil through a fine mesh sieve and/or cheesecloth into a clean, dry glass jar to remove the plant material. Press the plant material with a spoon or spatula to extract as much oil as possible.

Step 6 From Oil Infusion to Salve:

  Return the infused oil to the double boiler and heat it gently.

  Add 1 ounce of grated or chopped beeswax to the oil, stirring until the beeswax melts completely.

Step 7 Pour into containers:

   Once the beeswax is completely melted, carefully pour the plantain salve into clean, dry containers such as small jars or tins. if you are adding essential oils this can be done before pouring into the containers. But a warning, allow the oil infusion to cool a bit before adding the heat sensitive oils. Keep a close watch though because if it starts to solidify, you will have trouble pouring into containers and have salve left behind. Once poured, allow the salve to cool and solidify completely before sealing the containers.

 Step 8 Label and store:

   Label the containers with the date and ingredients used.

   Store the plantain salve in a cool, dark place to prolong its shelf life.

Did you make this recipe?

Mention us @hopebloomsbotanicals or tag us using #godreliantapothecary so we can see your creations! You can also leave a comment below!