Plantain
Common Name
Plantain, broadleaf plantain, white man's foot
Scientific Name
Plantago lanceolata
Family
Plantaginaceae
Lifecycle
Annual or biennial
Seasons of Growth
Spring to Autumn
Key Distinguishing Feature
The flower stalks bear densely packed greenish white flowers each of which will become a seedpod containing 10 to 20 seeds. When the seeds are mature, the seedpods splits releasing the seed to the ground. Seed germination occurs at or very near the soil surface.
Broadleaf plantain is a weed found mostly in temperate regions of the world. It is an Annual or biennial weed, with a persistent taproot, it is capable of producing rootstocks that can regenerate from its point of growth.
Broadleaf plantain is characterised by rosettes of spirally arranged leaves and numerous whitish roots that emerge from the lower part of its short stem. Leaves are oval to elliptical with entire or wavy margins.
It reproduces mostly from seeds that develop from tiny yellowish-white flowers borne on spikes. Each plant can produce up to 14,000 seeds that can remain viable in the soil for 50 to 60 years. Freshly produced seeds do not germinate until the following spring; light is a requirement for seed germination with an optimal temperature requirement around 25°C.
Although broadleaf plantains prefer moist soil, they can adapt to a wide range of soil conditions, including dry soils. They thrive well in disturbed and trampled soils prone to traffic and compaction.
