broadleaf plantain
(Plantago major L.)

Overview

Appearance

Plantago major is a perennial from a basal rosette with broad oval leaves.

Foliage

Smooth or slightly hairy, oval to elliptic, with a waxy surface and veins that are parallel to the margins. Margins are un-toothed and sometimes wavy.

Flowers

Flowers produced on unbranched stalks that arise from the rosette. Flowering stems are 5-15 in. (12.7-38.1 cm) long, clustered with small flowers that have whitish petals and bracts surrounding the flowers.

Fruit

A 2-celled oval capsule, 0.12-0.2 in. (3-5 mm) long, that opens by a lid around the middle.

Ecological Threat

Plantago major can be found throughout the United States, primarily a weed of turfgrass. It is native to Eurasia.

Selected Images

Maps

Invasive Listing Sources

• City of Ann Arbor Michigan Parks and Recreation
• Jil M. Swearingen, Survey of invasive plants occurring on National Park Service lands, 2000-2007
• National Park Service, Mid-Atlantic Exotic Plant Management Team Invasive Plant List
• Pacific Northwest Exotic Pest Plant Council, 1998
• WeedUS - Database of Plants Invading Natural Areas in the United States

References