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Broadleaf Plantain
Scientific Name:
Plantago major
Type:
Herbaceous Plant
Habitat:
Meadows, fields, and human-made areas
Range:
Native to Eurasia, naturalized around the world
Status:
Least Concern (IUCN Red List)
This species is
NON-NATIVE
to the Truckee Meadows.
Identification:
Broadleaf plantains are perennial plants with wide, green leaves which grow similar to a rosette. When the thick stems of these plants are broken, their string-like parts resemble celery. Broadleaf plantain flowers grow on a thin stalk and point at the top, each stalk home to many tiny flowers. These plants only grow to about 4 inches in height.
Fast Facts:
Broadleaf plantains can often be found in fields of grass. You may have noticed them in freshly cut grass at some of the Truckee Meadows' parks!
These highly nutritious plants have proven helpful to individuals experiencing digestive tract disorders and chronic diarrhea.
The entirety of a broadleaf plantain plant can be eaten. Dried leaves have been used to make an herbal tea, while boiled leaves have been put in both salads and stews.
Sources:
Edible Wild Food, Broadleaf Plantain, 2021, https://www.ediblewildfood.com/broadleaf-plantain.aspx
IUCN Red List, Broadleaf Plantain, 2016, https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/168960/1257878
Image: F. D. Richards, https://www.flickr.com/photos/50697352@N00/7557418892, license https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/, cropped from original.
Contributor(s):
Bridget Mulkerin (research & content)
Alex Shahbazi (edits & page design)