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Plantago lanceolata

Buckhorn · Buckhorn Plantain · English Plantai · Narrowleaf Plantain

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Plantago

A rosette of long ribbed leaves at a roadside, throwing up wiry stalks tipped with short dark flower heads.
The whole plantsannseCC BY-SA 3.0

About the plant

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

The plant

Habit
Herbaceous PerennialExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Habit
perennialPlants of the World Online
Flower
Brown/Copper, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Fall, Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Austria, Azores, Baleares and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
5-9Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sunExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, Loam (Silt), SandExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Moisture
Good DrainageExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox

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

Sources: Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox — NC State Extension; Plants of the World Online — Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Caterpillars of the buckeye butterfly eat its leaves and take up its iridoid glycosides, which make them unpalatable to predators. Wikipedia: Plantago lanceolata

Two sources report 7 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty High Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around March 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 23, 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 14 days to germinate.

10% germination in 14 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. lanceolata DS 4 y germ. 70L(3% in 2nd w) and 70D(10% in 2nd 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 23, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on March 23, 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 14 days to germinate.

3% germination in 14 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. lanceolata DS 4 y germ. 70L(3% in 2nd w) and 70D(10% in 2nd 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 July 3, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 2, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    8 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 7 days.

91% germination in 3–7 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. lanceolata seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(75% in 1-9 w), 70D(45% in 2-6 w), 40(8%)-70L(91 % in 3-7 d), and 40(8%)-70D(71% in 2-4 w). After 2 y DS the seeds germ. 70L(77% in 1-4 w).
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 Low 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 8, 2025.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 730 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 2 years from start to sowing. Then 28 days to germinate.

77% germination in 7–28 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. lanceolata seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(75% in 1-9 w), 70D(45% in 2-6 w), 40(8%)-70L(91 % in 3-7 d), and 40(8%)-70D(71% in 2-4 w). After 2 y DS the seeds germ. 70L(77% in 1-4 w).
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 Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around August 6, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on August 5, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Sow and cover

    Temperature: 70°F 21°C Light: light

about 6 months from start to sowing. Then 63 days to germinate.

75% germination in 7–63 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. lanceolata seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(75% in 1-9 w), 70D(45% in 2-6 w), 40(8%)-70L(91 % in 3-7 d), and 40(8%)-70D(71% in 2-4 w). After 2 y DS the seeds germ. 70L(77% in 1-4 w).
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 6

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 12, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 11, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

    8 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 28 days.

71% germination in 14–28 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. lanceolata seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(75% in 1-9 w), 70D(45% in 2-6 w), 40(8%)-70L(91 % in 3-7 d), and 40(8%)-70D(71% in 2-4 w). After 2 y DS the seeds germ. 70L(77% in 1-4 w).
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 7

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around August 27, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on August 26, 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 42 days to germinate.

45% germination in 14–42 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. lanceolata seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(75% in 1-9 w), 70D(45% in 2-6 w), 40(8%)-70L(91 % in 3-7 d), and 40(8%)-70D(71% in 2-4 w). After 2 y DS the seeds germ. 70L(77% in 1-4 w).
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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