Botanical atlas
Alpine Plantain
Plantago alpina
This plant is kept in the atlas for identification and safety, not for use. Read the safety notes below before handling it, and keep it away from children, cats, and food.
Alpine plantain belongs to the same beloved family as its lowland cousins, broadleaf and ribwort plantain, herbs that have followed foot-worn paths and mountain trails for centuries as a trailside first-aid plant. Shepherds and herders crossing high pastures traditionally reached for its crushed leaves to lay over insect stings, blisters, and small scrapes, earning plantain the old nickname of nature's bandage across many European mountain cultures. Its leaves were also steeped into soothing infusions for occasional coughs and irritated throats, a comfort passed down through generations of alpine village herbalists. Because it thrives where little else will, this modest rosette became a trusted, always-available companion for those who lived and worked at altitude.
Safety.
Alpine plantain is not known to be toxic and has a long history of gentle traditional use; introduce it cautiously if you have plant allergies.
Our sister app HerbLens identifies alpine plantain from a photo and keeps its full botanical portrait: growing guide, harvest notes, and look-alike warnings.
View on HerbLensHerbSense shares traditional herbal knowledge for education, not diagnosis or treatment. Herbs can interact with medicines and conditions. Speak with your doctor before acting on anything here, and seek care promptly for anything severe, sudden, or worsening.