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Hoary Plantain Plantago media 

© 2020-2025 Adrian Briggs

Hoary Plantain is a native perennial plant of the UK, typically found growing in chalky grassland and hay meadows, to a mature height of up to 30cm.

Hoary Plantain is named after its very hairy stems and leaves. Its flowers are vanilla scented (the only scented plantain in the UK) and these are arranged closely together into compound flowerheads. The flowerheads appear pinkish-white from a distance, owing to its large white anthers, supported by long lilac-coloured filaments. Each flower on the flowerhead has four tiny transluscent petals at the base, largely hidden from view by the stamens.

Botanic classification and naming: Hoary Plantain is a member of the Plantain (Plantaginaceae) family. The genus name 'Plantago' identifies the plant as a Plantain and its species name 'media' means 'middle-sized'.

Benefits: Hoary Plantain provides large amounts of pollen to attract bee, hoverfly and beetle pollinators. It also relies on wind for pollination.

Benefits to wildlife are also indicated with orange icons in the plant profile bar at the top.