Dealing with weeds: plantain weed

Greater plantain has benefits for wildlife, particularly seed-eating birds, so it can be left to grow in wild gardens or meadows. It’s extremely resistant to foot traffic and grows even in high-wear areas of grass and paths. This attribute gave rise to one of its common names, ‘English-man’s foot’, because it arrived in North America with the settlers and spread along their tracks.

Greater plantain has been used as a medicinal herb for many hundreds of years as the leaves contain chemicals used for treating bruises and wounds. If you are stung by nettles, greater plantain leaves may be crushed and rubbed on the stings to relieve itching.

Identifying plantain weed

Greater plantain forms rosettes of oval, mid- to dark green leaves that reach between 20-50cm in height, depending on site and soil. Flowers are borne on 30cm tall upright leafless stems, and vary in colour from purple-brown to straw-coloured, depending on age. The tiny flowers are clustered along the stem and give rise to the common name of ‘rat’s tail’. Leaves may be semi-evergreen, particularly in mild winters.

Greater plantain may be confused with ribwort plantain (Plantago lanceolata). Both plants are similar in habit but ribwort plantain flowers are borne in a cluster at the top of the stem, with white anthers, and the leaves form ribs that run parallel along the leaves. Ribwort plantain is a common sight in wildflower meadows, where it flourishes alongside meadow grasses.

Be aware that there are ornamental plants that have ‘plantain’ as part of their common name, but which are definitely not weeds: the best known of these is hosta (plantain lily).

How to get rid of plantain weed

Greater plantain is straightforward to remove by hoeing or hand-pulling. In lawns, use a gardening utility knife or a short-handled angled hoe to cut and lift out the rosettes. For paths where plantain grows in cracks that are awkward to hand-weed, use a weed burner powered by electricity or propane gas. As with all weeds, tackling growth at an early stage when plants are small is much easier than leaving the plants to become large and established.

Plantain spreads readily by means of seed so removing the flower stems before the seed matures is essential to minimise its spread. Frequent mowing of lawns cuts off the flowering heads before the seed forms and matures. The roots of plantain are not invasive.