Leaves

The basal leaves are lanceolate spreading or erect, scarcely toothed with 3-5 strong parallel veins narrowed to short petiole.

Flowers

Stalk deeply furrowed, ending in an ovoid inflorescence of many small flowers each with a pointed bract. Flowers 4mm (calyx green, corolla brownish), 4 bent back lobes with brown midribs, long white stamens.

Seeds

Each flower can produce up to two seeds.

Stem

Deeply furrowed and 5 to 25cm long. No stem leaves.

Fruit

Taste

Slightly bitter, but with an amazing mushroom flavour.

Frequency & law

Very common and not restricted.

Possible confusion

Other members of the Plantain family, such as Greater, or buckshorn Plantain, but they are all edible and have similar uses.

Habitat

Native in Europe, including Britain, from Iceland south and east to Spain, northern and central Asia. Plantago lanceolata can live anywhere from very dry meadows to rain forests, but it does best in open, disturbed areas. It is common near roadsides where other plants cannot flourish.

How to harvest

Leaves come up from March, but can be hard to spot when so young. Flower from April to August. Seeds ripen from June to September.

Cooking tips

Gentle simmering of large quantities of the above ground parts makes a very strong, mushroom flavoured stock.

Other uses

Folklore

Across the British isles, a game where children would try to knock the flower heads off each other’s stalks was common (similar to the game of conkers) and known by many different names, such as ‘fighting cocks’, ‘giants’, ‘cocks and hens’ and ‘knights’.