Buck's-Horn Plantain (Plantago coronopus)

Family: Plantaginaceae | Edibility: Edible (3/5)

Plantago coronopus is a ANNUAL/PERENNIAL growing to 0.3 m (1ft) by 0.3 m (1ft in). See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 6 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from May to July, and the seeds ripen from July to August. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Wind. The plant is self-fertile. It is noted for attracting wildlife.

Edible Parts & Harvest Seasons

Edible Parts: Leaves

Harvest Seasons: Spring, Early Summer

Flavor & Culinary Uses

tasting members of this genus, the leaves are fairly tender and have a slight bitterness. — Young leaves - raw or cooked.; One of the nicer tasting members of this genus, the leaves are fairly tender and have a slight bitterness.; Some people blanch the leaves in boiling water for a few seconds before using them in salads in order to make them more tender.; This leaf is one of the ingredients of 'misticanze', a salad mixture of wild and cultivated leaves that originated in the Marche region of Italy.

Habitat & North American Range

Sandy or gravelly soils and cracks in rocks, in sunny places in dry soils usually near the sea. (Zone 5, Zone 6, Zone 7, Zone 8, Zone 9)