Plantaginaceae FAMILY

Plantago major

Edibility

2/5

Medicinal

4/5

Safety & Hazards

Care should be taken when collecting Plantago major from the wild for medicinal or edible purposes, since plants may contain high concentrations of heavy metals such as lead and cadmium where they grow along roads[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Botanical Description

Plantago major is a perennial plant producing one or more basal rosettes of leaves from a mainly fibrous rootstock. It can grow up to 30cm tall, exceptionally to 70cm[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. The plant is harvested from the wild for local use, especially as a medicine but also as a food. It, is occasionally cultivated as a medicinal herb and is sometimes also traded[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ]. Although this species is a common garden weed, some named forms have been selected for their ornamental value[ 233 Title Perennial Garden Plants Publication Author Thomas. G. S. Publisher J. M. Dent & Sons, London. Year 1990 ISBN 0 460 86048 8 Description A concise guide to a wide range of perennials. Lots of cultivation guides, very little on plant uses. ]. Common plantain is a widespread weed that has spread all around the world via human activity. Its seeds readily adhere to animals or people through their mucilaginous seed coat which promotes dispersal. They can also be transported by water[ 299 Title Protabase - Plant Resources of Tropical Africa. Publication Author Website http://www.prota.org Publisher Year 0 ISBN Description An excellent on-line database with detailed information on over 3,200 species of useful plants of Africa. ].

Habitat & Origin

Origintemperate; tropical

Native RangeMost of Europe, including Britain, to northern and central Asia

HabitatA common garden weed, particularly in lawns[ 1 Title RHS Dictionary of Plants plus Supplement. 1956 Publication Author F. Chittendon. Publisher Oxford University Press Year 1951 ISBN - Description Comprehensive listing of species and how to grow them. Somewhat outdated, it has been replaced in 1992 by a new dictionary (see [ 200 ]). , 4 Title A Modern Herbal. Publication Author Grieve. Publisher Penguin Year 1984 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9 Description Not so modern (1930's?) but lots of information, mainly temperate plants. , 13 Title Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Publication Author Triska. Dr. Publisher Hamlyn Year 1975 ISBN 0-600-33545-3 Description Very interesting reading, giving some details of plant uses and quite a lot of folk-lore. ]. Rarely in grassy places[ 17 Title Flora of the British Isles. Publication Author Clapham, Tutin and Warburg. Publisher Cambridge University Press Year 1962 ISBN - Description A very comprehensive flora, the standard reference book but it has no pictures. ].