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Plantago coronopus

Buck's Horn Plantain · Buckhorn Plantain · Cut-leaved Plantain

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Plantago

A small rosette of narrow, toothed green leaves growing between paving stones
The whole plantzebedeugalinhaCC BY 4.0
A plate of a rosette of deeply cut strap leaves radiating from a taproot, with slim flower spikes and enlarged flowers and seeds beside it.
IllustrationJohann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm)Public domain

About the plant

What it is and where it grows — not part of any germination protocol.

Habit
biennial or perennialPlants of the World Online
Habit
Annual, Biennial, Forb/herbPLANTS Database
Native range
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Azores, Baleares, Belgium and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy

Toxicity is noted only where a source states it. No note here is not a finding of safety.

Sources: Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

Two sources report 5 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 26, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 26, 2023.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1460 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 4 years from start to sowing. Then 11 days to germinate.

100% germination in 4–11 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Plantago p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Plantago (Plantaginaceae). P. coronopus DS 4 y germ. 70L(100%"in 4-11 d) and 70D(2% in 2-4 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Plantago p. 55. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 2

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 9, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 9, 2023.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 1460 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 4 years from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

2% germination in 14–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1998 · 2nd Supplement, Plantago p. 55Public domain
Show the original text
Plantago (Plantaginaceae). P. coronopus DS 4 y germ. 70L(100%"in 4-11 d) and 70D(2% in 2-4 w).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 2nd Supplement, 2nd Supplement, Plantago p. 55. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 29, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 28, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    19 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 9 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 11 days.

73% germination in 1–11 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66Public domain
Show the original text
Plantago (Plantaginaceae). The curious results that some species required light and others did not may be due to the light requirement dying off on DS as found for P. coronopus seeds DS 6 m and 2 y germ. 100% in 4-10 d in 70L. The seeds DS 6 m also germ. 70D(65% in 1 d-4 w), 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70D(72% in 1-25 d), and 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70L(73% in 1-11 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 4

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 15, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 14, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    19 germinated in this phase.

  3. Warm moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 9 months from start to step 3. Germination happens during step 3, in 25 days.

72% germination in 1–25 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66Public domain
Show the original text
Plantago (Plantaginaceae). The curious results that some species required light and others did not may be due to the light requirement dying off on DS as found for P. coronopus seeds DS 6 m and 2 y germ. 100% in 4-10 d in 70L. The seeds DS 6 m also germ. 70D(65% in 1 d-4 w), 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70D(72% in 1-25 d), and 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70L(73% in 1-11 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

Protocol 5

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around September 10, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on September 9, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: dark

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

65% germination in 1–28 days.

Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement — N. C. Deno, 1996 · 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66Public domain
Show the original text
Plantago (Plantaginaceae). The curious results that some species required light and others did not may be due to the light requirement dying off on DS as found for P. coronopus seeds DS 6 m and 2 y germ. 100% in 4-10 d in 70L. The seeds DS 6 m also germ. 70D(65% in 1 d-4 w), 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70D(72% in 1-25 d), and 40(19% in 3-10 w)-70L(73% in 1-11 d).
Seed Germination Theory and Practice, 1st Supplement, 1st Supplement, Plantago p. 66. Quoted exactly. Every value on this card comes from this record, except the difficulty rating, which is ours; the step names come from a fixed list.

How each step is done, in Deno’s words, and what Verified and Derived mean.

Germination trials

Readers’ own records of sowing this species, published after review. Share your trial · All trials

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