Ribwort Plantain (Note: This is an herbaceous perennial, not a tree)
Plantago lanceolata · Herbaceous perennial herb (non-woody)
Plant Family
Plantaginaceae
Tree Category
Wildflower / Forb / Common Weed
Variety / Cultivar
None (Wild type common in lawns and meadows)
Hardiness Zones
USDA Zones 3 through 9; highly adaptable to various climates and temperature extremes.
About This Tree
While not a tree, this plant forms a ground-level rosette of leaves. It produces leafless, grooved flowering stalks ending in a dense, cylindrical brown flower head with white stamens.
Leaf Characteristics
Lance-shaped (narrow and pointed), basal rosette arrangement, 10–25 cm long, with prominent parallel veins and smooth to slightly toothed margins.
Bark Characteristics
Not applicable (Herbaceous stems are green, leafless, and deeply grooved or angled).
Growing Information
Origin Region
Native to Europe, Northern Africa, and Northern and Central Asia; widely naturalized throughout North America.
Growing Season
Flowering occurs from mid-spring to late summer (April to August), entering dormancy in late autumn/winter.
Sunlight & Water Needs
Prefers full sun to partial shade; highly drought-tolerant once established; grows in most soil types but prefers well-drained ground.
Mature Size
8 to 18 inches in height (stalks); 6 to 12 inches in spread; fast growth rate via seeds and fibrous roots.
Special Characteristics
Highly resistant to trampling and mowing; historically used in herbal medicine for wound healing; indicates compacted or poor quality soil.
Wildlife & Ecology
Host plant for the Buckeye butterfly larvae; seeds provide food for goldfinches and other songbirds; flowers attract bees and hoverflies.