Scientific Name:
Plantago major
Pronunciation:
plan-TA-go MAY-jur
Common Name:
broad-leaved plantain
Family Name:
Plantaginaceae
Plant Type:
Herbaceous perennial, Weed (horticultural)
Key ID Features:
Common weed; leaves broadly ovate to elliptic, most blades 8-15cm long x 6-10cm wide, 3 parallel major veins on either side of midrib; inflorescence is a spike of green spikelets; fruit is a small light brown capsule.
Habit:
Horizontal, Spreading
Form:
Oval - horizontal
Texture:
Medium - coarse
Mature Height:
0.2 - 0.4m
Mature Spread:
0.1 - 0.3m
Growth Rate:
Fast
Origin:
Central / west Asia, Europe (Naturalized In BC)
Hardiness Rating:
Zone 4: (-34 to -29 °C)
Exposure:
Full sun, Part sun/part shade
Soil/Growing Medium:
Landscape Uses:
Herb, Medicinal plant
Additional Info:
Leaf Morphology:
Form:
Simple
Arrangement:
Basal
Texture/Venation:
Heavily veined, Parallel venation
Surfaces:
Pubescent
Colour in Fall:
Green
Shapes:
Elliptic, Ovate
Apices:
Acute
Bases:
Attenuate, Obtuse
Margins:
Entire, Undulate (wavy)
Additional Info:
Still a dicot with netted venation
Inflorescence Type:
Spike
Flower Morphology:
Flowers perfect
Number Of Petals:
0
Ovary Position:
Superior
Colour (petals):
Not showy, Green
Flower Scent:
None
Flower Time at Peak:
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Fruit Type:
Capsule
Fruit Colour:
Brown
Fruiting Time:
May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Additional Info:
Not showy, a pyxis (upper part falls off to release the seeds)
Bark or Stem Colour:
Organ Modifications:
Storage tap root
Propagation:
Seed
Pest Susceptibility:
(Pest resistant, Disease resistant)
