Greater Plantain

Plantago major

Please keep in mind that it is illegal to uproot a plant without the landowner's consent and care should be taken at all times not to damage wild plants. Wild plants should never be picked for pleasure and some plants are protected by law.
For more information please download the BSBI Code of Conduct PDF document.

Plant Data

Flowering Months:

JAN FEB MAR APR MAY JUN JUL AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC

Order:

Lamiales

Family:

Plantaginaceae (Plantain)

Also in this family:

Buck's-horn Plantain, Common Marestail, Cornish Moneywort, Crested Field Speedwell, Fairy Foxglove, Green Field Speedwell, Grey Field Speedwell, Hedge Veronica, Hoary Plantain, Italian Toadflax, Koromiko, Marsh Speedwell, Mountain Speedwell, Ribwort Plantain, Sea Plantain, Shoreweed, Slender Speedwell, Straw Foxglove, Weasel's Snout

Type:

Flower

Life Cycle:

Perennial

Maximum Size:

40 centimetres tall

Habitats:

Farmland, gardens, grassland, lawns, moorland, roadsides, towns, wasteland.

Flower:

Green, 4 petals

Dense green spikes of up to 20cm, on unbranched, unfurrowed stalks. Anthers are purple and yellow.

Fruit:

A glossy, grey, ovate capsule.

Leaves:

Round, bright green, unlobed, tough leaves formed in a basal rosette. The leaf veins run parallel with the midrib.

Other Names:

Birdseed, Broadleaf Plantain, Common Plantain, Cuckoo's Bread, Doorweed, Dooryard Plantain, Englishman's Foot, Grand Plantain, Great Plantain, Healing Blade, Hen-plant, Large Plantain, Patrick's Dock, Rat-tail Plantain, Ripple Grass, Roundleaf Plantain, Snake Plant, Snakeweed, Waybread, Waybroad, White Man's Foot.

Frequency (UK):

Abundant

Similar Species:

Hoary Plantain

Video

Greater Plantain filmed by the side of the Leeds and Liverpool Canal 7th July 2022.

Distribution Map

Reproduced by kind permission of the BSBI.

Click to open an Interactive Map