Plantain, English Plantain

English Plantain Plantago lanceolata. A annual with long (4-6”), narrow, 6 banded, smooth leaves that have a pleated look.  The tall 15-20”, smooth flower spikes are capped by a short (1-2”), conical, green flower head.  Tiny cream-white flowers are set deep into the flower head, the long stamen, tipped with white blob-like anthers giving the head a fuzzy look.  Tiny seeds are set within the soft, chaff like bracts on the flower heads.  The most common plantain in yards and regularly mowed areas.  Rubbing fresh plantain leaves on stings helps take the burning out, while compresses of boiled leaves help bring infections out.  As the name implies, this is an invasive species brought to the US by settlers for its reputed medicinal properties. (396) 4/16/15-; 3/10/16; 3/20/17-6/5/17; 3/?/18; 4/7/19; 3/28/20

English Plantain habit; a basal rosette of long, smooth, pleated leaves, that produces multiple, very long spikes tipped with a conical flower head

Note; long 15-20” flower spike, tipped with a head of inconspicuous, cream colored flowers set within chaff like bracts

Note; the flowers are nearly invisible, but stamen tipped with white anthers extend beyond the bracts, giving the flower head a fuzzy look

Note; 8 banded, non-fuzzy, pleated leaves with a smooth margin

Note; conical bud on the end of spike