Buckhorn Plantain
Buckhorn Plantain
Habitat
Buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata) thrives in dry, neutral to basic soils. Unlike broadleaf plantain, it struggles in compacted soils and cannot endure frequent traffic. It germinates mainly in spring or fall. Its seeds, capable of germinating in darkness, establish and mature even under dense turf. This adaptability, combined with its tolerance for low mowing, makes it prevalent in varied turfgrass maintenance levels.
Growth and Identification
This perennial broadleaf weed, common in the Midwestern United States, develops a dense fibrous root network and a basal rosette. The plant’s initial grass-like leaves, hairy only at the margins, evolve as it matures. Mature plants produce multiple leaf clumps from a single crown. Leaves, spear to narrowly oval-shaped, twist or curl and have prominent, parallel veins. These veins form ridges on the leaf’s underside. Leaf blades, usually smooth with occasional silky hairs at the base, vary from bright to dark green. The plant adapts its growth based on mowing height, growing erect in taller grass and spreading in shorter, frequently mowed turf.
Unique Flowering Characteristics
From June to September, buckhorn plantain showcases small white flowers on dense, cone-shaped seedheads. These seedheads rise on erect, hairy stalks, especially noticeable in less frequently mown Midwestern lawns. The plant is often mistaken for bracted plantain, which has narrower, hairier leaves without the deep vein ridges of buckhorn plantain. Broadleaf plantain, another similar weed, differs with its longer spike-inflorescences and distinct leaf veins.
Biology of Buckhorn Plantain
Buckhorn plantain (Plantago lanceolata), a perennial broadleaf, typically thrives in dry areas with neutral to basic soils. Unlike its close relative, broadleaf plantain (Plantago major), it struggles in compacted soils and cannot withstand constant traffic stress. This plant germinates primarily in spring or fall. Its seeds can germinate in relative darkness, allowing them to establish and mature even under tall, dense turf. These characteristics, along with its resilience to low mowing heights, make buckhorn plantain a common weed in both low and high maintenance turfgrass areas.
Identification Characteristics
Buckhorn plantain is a perennial broadleaf weed found in various turf settings across the Midwestern United States. The plant forms a dense network of fibrous roots and a central, basal rosette. Initially, the first leaves (cotyledons) of the germinating plant appear grass-like and are hairy only along the margins. As the plant matures, it produces leaf clumps in a basal rosette, with mature plants capable of producing multiple clumps from the same crown. The leaves are spear-shaped to narrowly oval, widest just above the midpoint, and often twist or curl heavily. Prominent leaf veins run parallel to the margins, which may be smooth or slightly toothed. These veins form ridges that are visible and tangible on the leaf’s lower surface. Leaf blades are generally smooth, occasionally with long, silky hairs at the base, and range from bright to dark green. In taller turfgrass, the leaves grow more erect, while in shorter, more frequently mowed turf, they spread more prostrate.
Distinguishing Features
Buckhorn plantain’s small white flowers branch from dense, cone-shaped seedheads on an erect, leafless, hairy stalk from June through September. In less frequently mown yards in the Midwest, the appearance of numerous erect buckhorn plantain seed stalks can give a lawn a ‘weedy’ look during summer. It’s easy to confuse buckhorn plantain with bracted plantain (Plantago aristata), which has narrower, hairier leaves and lacks the deep, prominent leaf-vein ribs characteristic of buckhorn plantain. Broadleaf plantain, another similar species, has longer spike-inflorescences and leaf veins that originate from a distinct attachment point on a long, broad leaf-stem.