Ribwort

Ribwort Plantain (Plantago lanceolata)

Out in the pocket meadow and along the edges of the driveway, the Ribwort Plantains (Plantago lanceolata) are in full bloom. To me, it always looks like the central spikes are wearing frilly little ballerina tutus. The flowerheads sit atop long, thin stems which can be half a meter (20" or so) tall, though most – particularly in regularly mowed areas – are considerably shorter. These rise from a rosette of strongly ribbed, spear-shaped leaves, which are quite distinctive once you've learned what they look like. It's a common perennial plant in grassland  and meadows (including lawns and pastures), along field edges, on dunes, riverbanks, roadsides, tracks, and various other disturbed "waste places", on all but the most highly acidic soils. It blooms from April through August, and each flowerhead can produce upwards of 200 seeds, which remain in the heads. These provide an important food source for seed-eating birds in the winter. The plant also serves as the host for the larvae of several small species of moths, some of which we've recorded for the garden. Native to Eurasia, it's widespread right across the British Isles, and has been widely introduced (intentionally or otherwise) to much of the temperate world. As befits a widespread native, it has long been used for herbal teas and herbal remedies in Europe, used to staunch bleeding and to treat various digestive and skin disorders. Parts of the plant can also be used to make brown and gold dyes. I look forward to watching the local Eurasian Goldfinches and European Greenfinches riding the seedheads to the ground in order to nibble their contents later in the year.