Broadleaf Plantain

What it looks like

Grows as a low rosette of oval leaves with wavy edges and 3-5 parallel veins running lengthwise. Sends up a thin greenish seed spike from the center. Easy to confuse with buckhorn plantain, which has narrower, lance-shaped leaves and a bullet-shaped seed head instead.

Often mistaken for: Buckhorn plantain

When it shows up in the Triangle

You'll see it year-round in the Triangle, but it's most actively growing—and easiest to deal with—in spring and fall.

Where you’ll see it

Shows up in home lawns, especially areas with compacted soil or thin, weak turf.

What you can do

• Core aerate to relieve soil compaction
• Thicken up your turf with proper fertility and mowing habits
• Pull young plants by hand before they establish a deep crown
• Avoid letting foot traffic compact the same spots repeatedly