Common plantain (Plantago major, Sp. Pl.: 112 (1753))

Family: Plantaginaceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. Pl.: 112 (1753)

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Plantago

Vegetable: True

Observations: Temp. Eurasia to Arabian Pen., Macaronesia, N. & S. Africa

Description

The Common plantain, scientifically known as Plantago major, is a versatile and hardy perennial plant that belongs to the family Plantaginaceae. First described in 1753 by the botanist Carl Linnaeus in his seminal work “Species Plantarum,” this plant is widely recognized for its resilience and broad distribution across various regions of the globe.

Native to temperate areas of Eurasia, the Common plantain has successfully spread to other regions including the Arabian Peninsula, Macaronesia, as well as northern and southern parts of Africa. Its adaptability to a wide range of environmental conditions contributes to its ubiquitous presence in gardens, roadsides, lawns, and other disturbed habitats.

The plantain’s distinctive broad, oval leaves grow in a rosette close to the ground, often forming dense clumps. These leaves have prominent parallel veins, giving them a somewhat ribbed texture. During the growing season, the plant produces slender, erect flower spikes that bear tiny, inconspicuous flowers, which later develop into small, dry fruit capsules containing numerous seeds.

Beyond its botanical interest, the Common plantain is valued for its medicinal properties. Traditional medicine systems have utilized various parts of the plant to treat a range of ailments, from skin wounds and insect bites to respiratory issues and digestive problems. The leaves, in particular, are known for their anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, and healing qualities.

In addition to its medicinal uses, the Common plantain is sometimes consumed as food. Young leaves can be eaten raw in salads, or cooked as a leafy green, while seeds can be ground into flour or used as dietary fiber supplements.

Despite being sometimes considered a weed due to its prolific nature, the Common plantain continues to be a plant of significant ecological and human value. Its robust presence in diverse regions highlights its remarkable adaptability and enduring utility.

Common Names

Deu: breit-wegerich, breitwegerich, großer wegerich
Eng: broadleaf plantain, buckhorn plantain, common plantain, great plantain, greater plantain, large plantain, plantain, rippleseed plantain, broad-leaved plantain, grand plantain, nipple-seed plantain, ratstail plantain, ripple-seed plantain, whiteman’s-foot
Dan: glat vejbred
Nld: getande weegbree en grote weegbree, grote + getande weegbree, grote en getande weegbree
Fra: grand plantain, plantain majeur, plantain à larges feuilles
Swe: groblad, piharatamo
Nob: groblad
Nno: groblad
Nor: groblad, grore-blaake, groreblad
Ara: lisan al-hamal
Spa: llantén, llantén común, llantén major
Fin: piharatamo
Por: plantagem, tanchagem, tanchagem-maior
Sme: šilljolasta
Cym: cabaits y llawr, dail llydan y ffordd, dail llyriad, henllydan y ffordd, llwynfaidydd mawr, llydain y ffordd, llydan y ffordd, llyriad cynffon llygoden, llyriad mwyaf
En: Common plantain, Greater plantain, Large plantain, Plantain, Broadleaf plantain, Waybread, Buckhorn plantain, Great plantain, Rippleseed plantain, Ratstail Plantain, Broad-leaved plantain, Grand plantain, Nipple-seed plantain, Ripple-seed plantain, Whiteman’s-foot, Pilger’s plantain, Cart-track plant, Intermediate plantain, Thickleaf plantain, White-man’s-foot
Ar: Lisan al-hamal, لسان حمد (لِسان حَمَد)، لسان حمل ( لِسان حَمَل), مصاصه (مِصَّاصه)، لسان الكلب (لِسان الكَلب، لسان الكِلْب), وراق صابون
Ca: Plantatge de fulla ampla, Plantatge gros
Cs: Jitrocel větší
Da: Glat vejbred
Nl: Getande weegbree en grote weegbree, Grote + Getande weegbree, Grote en Getande weegbree, Grote Weegbree
Fi: Piharatamo
Fr: Grand plantain, Plantain majeur, Plantain à larges feuilles, Plantain à grandes feuilles, Plantain à bouquet, Plantain, Plantain intermédiaire
De: Breitwegerich, Breit-Wegerich, Großer Wegerich, Grosser Wegerich
He: לחך גדול
It: Piantaggine maggiore
Se: Šilljolasta, Govdalasta, Šilljohávvelasta
No: Groblad, Grore-blaake, Groreblad
Nb: Groblad
Nn: Groblad
Pt: Tanchagem-maior, Plantagem, Tanchagem
Pt-br: Lantana-maior
Ru: Podorožnik bol’šoj
Sk: Skorocel väčší
Es: Llantén, Llantén común, Llantén major, Llantén mayor, Kara llanten, Lanté, Lantén
Sv: Groblad, Piharatamo
Cy: Cabaits y Llawr, Dail Llydan y Ffordd, Dail Llyriad, Henllydan y Ffordd, Llwynfaidydd Mawr, Llydain y Ffordd, Llydan y Ffordd, Llyriad Cynffon Llygoden, Llyriad Mwyaf

Synonyms

• Plantago major subvar. pilosula (Merino)
• Plantago major subvar. contracta (Merino)
• Plantago major var. megastachya (Wallr.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Algeria (native)
• Altay (native)
• Amur (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Buryatiya (native)
• Canary Is. (native)
• Cape Provinces (native)
• Cape Verde (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Chita (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• Egypt (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Free State (native)
• Føroyar (native)
• Germany (native)
• Great Britain (native)
• Greece (native)
• Hainan (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Ireland (native)
• Irkutsk (native)
• Italy (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kamchatka (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Khabarovsk (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Korea (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Kuril Is. (native)
• KwaZulu-Natal (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Lesotho (native)
• Madeira (native)
• Magadan (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Mongolia (native)
• Morocco (native)
• Namibia (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northern Provinces (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Oman (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Primorye (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sakhalin (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Saudi Arabia (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sinai (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Taiwan (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Tunisia (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Tuva (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yakutskiya (native)
• Yemen (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
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Additional Images

Flower

Taken Aug 3, 2022 by Cahit Doğan (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2020 by AnnekeDrost (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 26, 2021 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 5, 2019 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 20, 2019 by lindsay moury (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Aug 11, 2021 by Marilyne Renou-Garcias (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 24, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 7, 2020 by gerard hortis (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2020 by Pl@ntNet (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 31, 2020 by luxmcwork (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jul 5, 2019 by Sabina Hartmann (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 25, 2022 by Monteiro Henrique (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 2, 2018 by Gaifém Luís (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 26, 2021 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 24, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Fruit

Taken Aug 18, 2021 by Yann B (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 3, 2021 by Caroline Champigny (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 14, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 24, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 24, 2022 by Fabrice Rubio (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Jul 29, 2020 by mg515 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 2, 2020 by Bianca Legault (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2019 by Sonia Vazquez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 7, 2021 by Pierre Boucheny (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 7, 2018 by angela (cc-by-sa)

Other

Taken Jul 31, 1874 by Tela Botanica − Herbier PONTARLIER-MARICHAL (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 30, 2020 by justin klamut (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 2, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 22, 2021 by Pierre-Adrien L (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 2, 2017 by Yoan MARTIN (cc-by-sa)

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/3189767)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:321286-2)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Plantago major L.)

Specifications

Growth form: Single Crown

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth rate: Moderate

Growth

Ph maximum: 7.3

Ph minimum: 4.8

Light: 5

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Soil nutriments: 6