Quercus

Common Plantain

Plantago major

Not native to Kentucky

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Ecological relationships

Who uses this plant?

61CaterpillarsGenus host records with ranges including KY

Genus host records with ranges including KY · Plantago

  • Anagrapha falciferaCelery Looper Moth
  • Anicla infectaGreen Cutworm Moth
  • Apantesis annaAnna Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis argeArge Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis figurataFigured Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis naisNais Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis partheniceParthenice Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis phalerataHarnessed Moth
  • Apantesis virgoVirgin Tiger Moth
  • Apantesis vittataBanded Tiger Moth
Show all 61
  • Autographa precationisCommon Looper Moth
  • Chlosyne nycteisSilvery Checkerspot
  • Dypterygia rozmaniAmerican Bird's-Wing
  • Dysstroma truncataMarbled Carpet
  • Estigmene acreaSalt Marsh Moth, Acrea Moth
  • Euphydryas phaetonThe Baltimore, The Black Checker
  • Euptoieta claudiaVariegated Fritillary, (?)Gulf Fritillary
  • Feltia jaculiferaDingy Cutworm
  • Feltia subterraneaSubterranean Dart, Granulate Cutworm
  • Herpetogramma pertextalisBold-Feathered Grass Moth
  • Hyalophora cecropiaCecropia Silkmoth, Cecropia Moth
  • Hyles lineataWhite-Lined Sphinx
  • Hypercompe scriboniaGiant Leopard Moth, Great Leopard Moth
  • Hyphantria cuneaFall Webworm
  • Hyppa xylinoidesCommon Hyppa
  • Junonia coeniaCommon Buckeye
  • Lacinipolia olivaceaOlive Arches, Olive Groundcat
  • Lacinipolia renigeraBristly Ground Cat, Bristly Cutworm Moth, Kidney Spotted "Mamestra"
  • Lithophane bethuneiBethune's Pinion
  • Megalographa bilobaBilobed Looper Moth
  • Melanchra adjunctaHitched Arches
  • Melanchra pictaPainted Arches, Zebra Caterpillar Moth
  • Neodactria caliginosellusCorn Webworm, Corn Root Webworm, Sooty Crambus
  • Orgyia leucostigmaWhite-Marked Tussock Moth
  • Orthodes cynicaCynical Quaker, Cynical Groundcat
  • Orthodes majusculaRustic Quaker, Rustic Groundcat
  • Palthis angulalisDark-Spotted Palthis
  • Papaipema nebrisStalk Borer
  • Phlogophora periculosaBrown Angle Shades
  • Phyciodes tharosPearl Crescent, Crescentspot
  • Pseudorthodes vecorsSmall Brown Quaker, Small Brown Groundcat
  • Pyrausta subsequalisMottled Pyrausta
  • Pyrrharctia isabellaIsabella Tiger Moth, Banded Woolybear
  • Spaelotis clandestinaClandestine Dart, W-Marked Cutworm
  • Spilosoma congruaAgreeable Tiger Moth
  • Spilosoma dubiaDubious Tiger Moth
  • Spilosoma latipennisPink-Legged Tiger Moth
  • Spilosoma virginicaVirginian Tiger Moth, Yellow Woolybear Moth, Yellow Bear
  • Spiramater lutraDarling Mamestra, Splashed Arches, Otter Spiramater, Otter Arches
  • Spodoptera frugiperdaFall Armyworm Moth
  • Spodoptera ornithogalliYellow-Striped Armyworm Moth, Cotton Cutworm
  • Tricholita signataSignate Quaker, Signate Groundcat
  • Trichoplusia niNi Moth, Cabbage Looper Moth
  • Trichopolia oviducaRuddy Quaker
  • Vanessa carduiPainted Lady, Cosmopolite
  • Virbia aurantiacaOrange Virbia, Orange Holomelina
  • Virbia laetaJoyful Virbia, Joyful Holomelina
  • Xestia c-nigrumSpotted Cut-Worm, Setaceous Hebrew Character, Lesser Black-letter Dart
  • Xestia dolosaGreater Black-Letter Dart, Greater Spotted Cutworm
  • Xestia normanianusNorman's Dart
  • Parectopa plantaginisella
Shropshire & Tallamy 2025, Lepidoptera of North America north of Mexico, ZooKeys 1261 (ODbL)
—BeesSoutheastern regional records
—Specialist beesPollen specialists
9BirdsRecorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim

Recorded genus food-resource interactions; not a state feeding claim · Plantago

  • Alectoris chukarChukar
  • Anser caerulescensSnow Goose
  • Branta canadensisCanada Goose
  • Callipepla californicaCalifornia Quail
  • Meleagris gallopavoWild Turkey
  • Melozone crissalisCalifornia Towhee
  • Pipilo maculatusSpotted Towhee
  • Pooecetes gramineusVesper Sparrow
  • Spizella breweriBrewer's Sparrow
Hurlbert, Olsen, Sawyer & Winner 2021, Avian Diet Database, Scientific Data 8: 260 (CC0)
Growing and identification

Plant details

Family
Plantaginaceae
Hardiness
Zones 3a–12b
Flower color
Green or white
Growth rate
Moderate
Growth habit
Single crown
Foliage color
Green
Fruit begins
Summer
Fruit ends
Fall

Safety has not been reviewed for this plant; check toxicity and thorns before planting.

Growing sources and scope
  • Bloom · “Late spring” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Flower color · “Green or white” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Foliage color · “Green” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit begins · “Summer” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Fruit ends · “Fall” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth habit · “Single crown” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Growth rate · “Moderate” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Hardiness · “Zones 3a–12b” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Height · “About 3.6 inches” · USDA PLANTS · Nationwide species characteristics; local growing conditions may vary
  • Life cycle · “Perennial” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Light · “Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day); Partial shade (direct sunlight only part of the day, 2-6 hours)” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
  • Soil · “Occasionally wet” · NC Extension Plant Toolbox
Also known as

Common Plantain; Plantain

Conservation status

Kentucky rankSNA
Global rankG5
KY statusNot verified
Federal statusNot verified

Conservation source Global and federal source

Sources