Asian Plantain (Plantago asiatica) — identification, habitat & look-alikes

Asian plantain is the East Asian cousin of the common plantain that grows in sidewalk cracks and lawns across the U.S. It forms a flat rosette of broad, ribbed leaves and sends up slender spikes of tiny white flowers. It isn't known to grow wild in the U.S., so the plantains you see there are almost always other species.

Appearance

Growth form: A low perennial herb with almost no visible stem; all the leaves grow from the base in a flat rosette.
Leaves: Broadly oval leaves about 1.5–6 in (4–15 cm) long with 5–7 strong parallel veins, wavy edges, and long leaf stalks.
Flowers: Upright spikes about 4–20 in (10–50 cm) tall packed with tiny whitish flowers that open from the bottom up. The pollen is carried by wind.
Fruit: A small capsule that splits around the middle like a lid, releasing a handful of small dark seeds.

Look-alikes

Common plantainPlantago major

Common plantain usually has more seeds per capsule (about 8–16) and straighter fruiting spikes. The two are very hard to tell apart from photos; in the U.S., a broadleaf plantain growing wild is almost certainly not Asian plantain.

Why they get mixed upBoth have the same broad, ribbed rosette and slim flower spikes.

Where it lives

Typical habitats: Roadsides
Dirt paths
Fields
Lawns
Waste ground
Range: Native to East Asia, including Japan, Korea, China, and Taiwan. It is not known to be established outside cultivation in North America.
Preferred conditions: Thrives in sunny, trampled, hard-packed ground where taller plants can't compete.

Life cycle

Seed dispersal: Seeds turn sticky when wet and hitch rides on shoes and animals.

Conservation

IUCN Red List: NENot EvaluatedNot yet assessed

Culture and stories

Culture and stories: Its seeds and leaves are an important traditional medicine in China, Korea, and Japan, where it is known by names meaning "before the cart," after its habit of growing in wheel ruts.