Plantain Weed

Yesterday I was in New York and it was a glorious morning for a run in Central Park.  The air was crisp and cool, a nice change from the record breaking heat we've all been enduring lately. While climbing Heartbreak Hill, I noticed these three ladies, collecting plants in the weedy turf. 

 

It turns out they were collecting all the above ground parts of Plantago major, or plantain weed.  The Asian ladies spoke very little English, but the youngest woman (they looked like they could have been three generations of the same family) was able to tell me they use this for tea.  A longer look online shows that the plant's leaves, when boiled with water, strained and cooled, can be helpful in aiding coughs, colds, dysentery, and possibly high blood pressure.  The leaves can be mashed into a poultice that reduces itching and swelling of skin irritations.  In fact, one of the less common monikers for this plant is 'Soldier's Herb' since it's been used for this manner on battlefields.

No doubt, you've seen this plant in less manicured lawns and fields.  The plant is native to Europe and Central Asia, but of course now it's found all over North America and other temperate areas.