Plantain Spotted in my Yard!

lmrebert
lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭
edited November 2020 in Plant ID

I can’t believe it but this very interesting little guy showed up and I knew it was gonna be a great find!!! I feel so blessed!!! It’s right in the grass that won’t grow good because everyone walks a crossed that area... should I chance transplanting it?? I’m so excited!!


Comments

  • Jens the Beekeeper
    Jens the Beekeeper Posts: 651 admin

    @lmrebert I would try it. It is a very hardy plant but you need to dig a bit deeper because of the strong roots.

  • chimboodle04
    chimboodle04 Posts: 286 ✭✭✭

    You can make a salve with that too by following that same recipe I shared 😉

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    We could use some here for a horse who has a cut. Unfortunately, snow is hiding it all. 😑 I only wish that I froze a bunch last fall.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning Great find! Is plantain not common in your area? Plantain, true to one of its names, White Man's Foot, seems to like to grow best where it is walked on. In my yard it grows right at the entry to the garden where it can't help but get walked on. In my driveway, it tends to grow more towards where it will be driven on instead of at the edge where it wouldn't get run over so constantly. You can usually find nice big, harvestable plants where there was once traffic but for some reason the route is no longer used. I like going out on old de-activated logging roads looking for plantain, where it has been at least 4-5 years since there was traffic.

    With the number of seed spikes in your picture, maybe you will have more plants come spring. Maybe leave it where it is until there are babies that you could move? I've never tried to transplant plantain so not sure how that would go.

    This is a link to Rosalee's page on plantain. I did not know that there was a species native to North America. But it is not native to my area. https://www.herbalremediesadvice.org/plantain-herb.html

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

    @torey It most certainly is very common here, but is under a lot of snow at the moment.

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    @LaurieLovesLearning My mistake. I thought you were so excited because it was rare.

  • lmrebert
    lmrebert Posts: 363 ✭✭✭✭

    I definately don't think its rare where I'm at, but because we are only a few years into realizing that these things are not "weeds to be plucked out" I'm seeing all this good stuff popping up in my yard and I feel so blessed to get them!!

  • seeker.nancy - Central Texas
    seeker.nancy - Central Texas Posts: 795 ✭✭✭✭

    That is so awesome! I got some seed from Baker Creek for plantain. It said to put it in the refrigerator for about a week before planting as that will improve germination. Thursday's the day depending on the weather (as always lol).

  • SherryA
    SherryA Posts: 314 ✭✭✭

    Congratulations! I see plantain all around this area, but none in my yard. I bought seeds. 😊

  • Karin
    Karin Posts: 272 ✭✭✭

    We have a heap of the long-leaved plantain always growing in our property, but have never had the broad-leaved variety, even though there is plenty around in the community!! I have no idea why that would be - does anyone else have any thoughts?

  • Amy
    Amy Posts: 35 ✭✭✭

    Lots of plantain around here - Went for a walk in my yard today looking to see if any is popping up yet since the snow has pretty much all melted (until the next snow, crossing fingers that it doesn't happen anymore this spring). I have taught my grandchildren to use a spit poultice with the leaves for those bug bites they get in the rest of our seasons. It is surprising that they all remembered that and have used it. I was very happy that they did too!