Whiteman’s-foot Plantago major
Other Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- plan-TA-go MAY-jor
- Description
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Plantago major, or Plantain, is an herbaceous, flowering, perennial species of Plantago. It grows in lawns and fields, along roadsides, and in other areas that have been disturbed by humans. Plantain does particularly well in compacted or disturbed soils and can survive repeated trampling. Native Americans called it "white man's footprint" because it appeared and thrived in disturbed areas around European settlements. Its roots work to break up hardpan soil and can help stop erosion. Plaintain is wind-pollinated and each plant can produce 20,000 small oval-shaped orange to black bitter-tasting seeds. This is a common lawn weed that is able to resist mowing because of its low basal leaves.
Plantain is not related to the fruit called plantain, which is a type of banana.
Plantain is a highly nutritious wild edible, that is high in calcium and vitamins A, C, and K. The young, tender leaves can be eaten raw, and the older, stringier leaves can be boiled in stews and eaten. The seeds are also edible. However, ingesting large quantities can cause a drop in blood pressure.
Diseases, Insects, and Other Plant Problems:
No known diseases or insect problems.
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Plantago
- Species:
- major
- Family:
- Plantaginaceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- Used to be highly esteemed medicinal herbs. Leaves were used to treat bites, stings, cuts, sore feet, and ailments of the eyes, tongue and mouth.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Recommended Propagation Strategy:
- Root Cutting
- Seed
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eurasia, Europe and Central Asia
- Distribution:
- Eastern North America
- Fire Risk Rating:
- low flammability
- Wildlife Value:
- Attracts pollinators. Birds eat the seeds, which are high in oil. Seeds are included in birdseed mix.
- Edibility:
- The leaves of young plantain are used as a vegetable similar to spinach.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Perennial
- Weed
- Habit/Form:
- Clumping
- Dense
- Mounding
- Multi-stemmed
- Oval
- Prostrate
- Rounded
- Growth Rate:
- Medium
- Maintenance:
- Low
- Texture:
- Medium
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Partial Shade (Direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)
- Soil Texture:
- Clay
- High Organic Matter
- Loam (Silt)
- Soil Drainage:
- Good Drainage
- Occasionally Wet
- NC Region:
- Coastal
- Mountains
- Piedmont
- USDA Plant Hardiness Zone:
- 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b, 5a, 5b, 6a, 6b, 7a, 7b, 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b, 10a, 10b, 11a, 11b, 12a, 12b
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- Fruit Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Display/Harvest Time:
- Fall
- Summer
- Fruit Type:
- Capsule
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Capsules are split across the middle into 2 equal segments containing 6-20 brown, glossy, ridged seeds. Seeds are edible by wildlife.
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Green
- White
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Spike
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Long Bloom Season
- Showy
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Summer
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- 4-5 petals/rays
- Bracts
- Colored Sepals
- Flower Size:
- < 1 inch
- Flower Description:
- Flowers appear April to September and are inconspicuous greenish-brown with white to purple stamens. Narrow cylindrical, dense spike of greenish flowers clustered on spikes from the center of plant and seeds form all down the flower stem.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Feel:
- Leathery
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Simple
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Elliptical
- Lanceolate
- Ovate
- Leaf Margin:
- Entire
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- > 6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Rosette of broadly lance to egg-shaped leaves with an acute apex. Leaves are 2 to 8 inches long and 2 to 4 inches wide. Five to seven prominent, stringy, veins start at the base of the leaf and can be seen in the petiole if a leaf is pulled from the plant. The upper surface of each blade is medium green and glabrous to sparsely canescent. Lower surface is light green and finely pubescent along the veins.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Buds:
- Smooth/Hairless
- Stem Cross Section:
- Round
- Stem Form:
- Straight
- Stem Surface:
- Smooth (glabrous)
- Stem Description:
- Erect, flowering stems less than 12 inches tall, leafless, unbranched, terminate in a cluster of small inconspicuous flowers.
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Meadow
- Slope/Bank
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Attracts:
- Butterflies
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Salt
- Problems:
- Weedy
