I was maybe seven, covered in mosquito bites from head to toe, sitting miserably on our back steps trying not to scratch. My elderly neighbor noticed and led me to what I’d dismissed as weeds along her garden path.

“This is plantain,” she said, crushing the oval leaves between her fingers and pressing the green pulp against my bites. The relief was almost instant – cool, soothing, magical.

What I didn’t know then was the profound history in those humble leaves. Native Americans called plantain “white man’s footprint” because it appeared wherever European settlers walked – a living map of colonization, thriving in disturbed soil around new settlements.

This remarkable plant is anti-inflammatory, antiseptic, and analgesic – perfect for treating mosquito bites, cuts, and scrapes. Traditional uses included wound healing and stopping bleeding, while it earned folk names like “soldier’s herb” and “healing blade.”

Every time I see plantain growing through sidewalk cracks or thriving despite being stepped on, I’m reminded of that summer day when a neighbor’s wisdom transformed weeds into wonder. Sometimes the most powerful medicines are the ones that teach us to see what’s already there, waiting patiently at our feet.

All my artwork is handmade and original with a mix of limited and open edition linocut prints plus digitally printed greeting cards. The prints are designed, made, pressed and pulled in my studio in the Laurentides, Canada.

Please note: Because of its handmade nature there may be tiny variations to the picture – be this colour, evenness of ink or other small differences.