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Plantago major

Broadleaf Plantain · Buckhorn Plantain · Common Plantain

Family PlantaginaceaeGenus Plantago

Broad oval leaves with deep parallel ribs, and two slender green spikes crowded with tiny flowers rising from among them.
The whole plantRasbakCC 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
annual or perennialPlants of the World Online
Height
0.3 ft9 cmPLANTS Database
Flower
Green, WhiteExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Blooms
Spring, SummerExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Native range
Afghanistan, Albania, Algeria, Altay, Amur, Austria and elsewhereGBIF Backbone Taxonomy
Hardiness zones
3-12Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox

Growing conditions

Sun
Full sun; Partial ShadeExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil
Clay, High Organic Matter, Loam (Silt)Extension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Soil pH
4.8-7.3PLANTS Database
Moisture
Good Drainage, Occasionally WetExtension Gardener Plant Toolbox
Watering
Drought tolerance: MediumPLANTS Database

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; PLANTS Database — USDA NRCS; GBIF Backbone Taxonomy — Global Biodiversity Information Facility.

Worth knowing

  • Believed to be one of the first plants to reach North America after European colonization; one of its many names is white man's footprint. It is not closely related to the banana called plantain. Wikipedia: Plantago major

Two sources report 4 treatments between them. All are shown.

Protocol 1

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1998

Difficulty 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: light

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

15% germination in 7–28 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. major DS 4 y germ. 70L(15% in 1-4 w) and 70D(none).'
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, 1996

Difficulty Low Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around October 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on October 4, 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 3 days to germinate.

100% germination in 3 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. major seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(100% on 3rd d), 70D(none), 40-70L(100% on 5th d), and 40-70D(4%). Seeds DS for 2 y germ. the same.
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 3

DerivedN. C. Deno, 1996

Difficulty Moderate Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around July 5, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on July 4, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  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 5 days.

100% germination in 5 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. major seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(100% on 3rd d), 70D(none), 40-70L(100% on 5th d), and 40-70D(4%). Seeds DS for 2 y germ. the same.
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 Very high Rated by us, not by the source.

Start around June 19, 2027 for a May 3 last frost. Too late for spring 2027 — that needed starting on June 18, 2026.

  1. Dry storage

    Duration: 180 daysTemperature: 70°F 21°C

  2. Cold moist stratification

    Duration: 90 daysTemperature: 40°F 4°C

  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; time not stated, 21 days assumed.

4% germination.

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. major seeds DS 6 m germ. 70L(100% on 3rd d), 70D(none), 40-70L(100% on 5th d), and 40-70D(4%). Seeds DS for 2 y germ. the same.
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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