Plants
Plantain
Common name
PlantainLatin name
Plantago majorCharacters
Perennials, the leaves are borne in a basal rosette. They are elliptical, arising from a fleshy petiole and strongly marked with veins. The single flower stem arises from the centre of the leaves, with the tiny green flowers borne at the top.
Habit
HerbEdible Portion
Seeds and leavesHabitat
Dooryards, roadsides, compacted soils and waste groundGeography
Throughout
Used For
While the entire plant is edible, the seeds and leaves require some work to preparing them owing to the bitter taste. Young leaves may be blanched prior to adding to salad, or steamed and frozen, to be added to smoothies or stir-fries later. Seeds may be ground into flour.