Greater plantain

Symptoms

A clump of leaves growing from a single spot or multiple points. Tall, stringy flower stalks are topped by a dense green cone of small flowers, which turns brown and felty as seeds form.

Find it on: established flowerbeds, cracks in paving, garden walls, lawns

Time to act: spring, summer, autumn

Problem categories

Overview

Greater plantain grows in borders, but is able to survive in the compacted soil of lawns. With its deep tap root, it's able to survive and re-grow when the top of the plant is cut off. If left, it will compete with plants for light, water and nutrients, and lead to bare patches on the lawn.

Solution

A clump of leaves growing from a single spot or multiple points. Tall, stringy flower stalks are topped by a dense green cone of small flowers, which turns brown and felty as seeds form.

Organic

Dig out the whole tap root using a knife or spike-like daisy grubber. Also, make sure you remove the flower spikes before they get a chance to produce seed.

Chemical

In paving or flowerbeds, apply a systemic weedkiller to the foliage of greater plantains. In lawns, use a selective lawn weedkiller or a lawn feed and weed product.