One Rooted Red Plantain Plant

Plantain is a wonderful perennial vegetable that has been little acknowledged. This is a red leaved form of the common “weed” known as Plantago Major. Originating in Eurasia, it is now widely naturalized on many continents and ecosystems. It tends to prefer areas it gets plenty of moisture, and can often be seen in lawns and edges of pathways.

While many herbalists concur that it is a powerful herbal medicine, most often used fresh, dried, or in a salve, it it is still little known as a green vegetable. The younger leaves are the tastiest, and most succulent, with a gentle bitterness. People add it to salad, soup or even stir-fry. Even the tougher outer leaves can be boiled and eaten and the seeds are edible as well. The leaves of red plantain can also be eaten as a powerful source of nutrition. It has high concentrations of Vitamins A, C, and K, as well as calcium. Plantain leaves can also be harvested and dried for future use in teas or herbal medicines.

Plant red plantain after danger of last frost. Plants should be 6 to 8 inches apart. Red plantain is a perennial, and it will likely self-seed in your garden, so be prepared to share with others. It is a great understory plant in a food forest, especially underneath tree collard plants. Hardy in zones 3-9.

Please note that while we hope that every order we ship thrives in your garden, we cannot be responsible for plants that freeze or get cooked in your mailbox or suffer for any other reason outside of our control. Please consider the weather in your region when ordering. We do our best to ensure a safe journey for your plants but cannot be responsible for weather-related damage. We hope you enjoy your plants!