Plantago coronopus
Hare's Ear Plantain
Common names: Monk's Beard Plantain, Crow's Foot Plantain, Minutina
At a glance
- Light
- Full sun
- Spacing
- 15 cm, rows 20 cm
- Lifespan
- Perennial
- Sowing
- Mar, Apr, Aug, Sep
- Harvest
- May, Jun, Sep, Oct, Nov, Dec
- Hardiness
- Hardy down to −12 °C
- Water need
- Low
- Origin
- Native to Germany
Photo: Johann Georg Sturm (Painter: Jacob Sturm) · Public Domain · Source
This description was machine-translated.
Description
Plantago coronopus forms flat rosettes of narrow, slightly serrated leaves that resemble small deer antlers. It is a hardy winter salad plant that remains crisp even after frost up to week 6. Originally from coastal sites, it tolerates salt and dry, sandy soils remarkably well. The leaves are mild and nutty, suitable for winter salad mixes.
Care instructions
Sow in mid-March (week 12) directly in the garden or in a early‑season bed; a second sowing in August (weeks 32‑35) provides harvestable greens into winter. Sun to partial shade is acceptable, but a well‑drained soil is essential as the plant does not tolerate waterlogging. Water moderately and allow the soil to dry between waterings; fertilisation is rarely needed as it thrives on poor soils. Regularly clip outer leaves with a sharp pair of scissors to encourage continuous new growth and allow harvesting into winter. A protective net or film tunnel can shield the plants from severe frost and extend the harvest period.
The care notes were machine-translated from German.
Garden year
SowingMar–Apr, Aug–Sep
HarvestMay–Jun, Sep–Dec
Germination
- Soil temperature
- from 8 °C, ideally 18 °C
- Days to sprout
- 7 to 21 days
- Light
- Needs light to sprout
- Sowing depth
- Press in, don't cover
- How to start
- Sow straight into the bed
Soil & site
Soil pH
Soil type
well-drained, sandy, lean, dry
Buck's-horn plantain comes from sandy coastal sites and likes it lean rather than rich. A free-draining, rather dry soil prevents waterlogging, which the taproot cannot cope with at all. Lime-rich, sandy soils suit it especially, while heavy and loamy soil you should loosen with sand.
Feeding
Light feeder
As an undemanding wild plant, buck's-horn plantain needs practically no feeding. A thin dressing of compost in spring is quite enough; too many nutrients make the leaves soft and reduce the spicy aroma. It is better to do without fertiliser altogether if your soil is already moderately rich in humus.
Overwintering
The species is hardy and usually comes through mild winters in the bed without protection. In harsh locations or heavy, wet soils, a loose mulch cover of straw or leaves helps against waterlogging and frost. In a container, a frost-free, cool place is safer, as the roots freeze through more quickly there.
Propagation
Methods
- From seed
- Division
Sowing works from mid April · week 16 directly into the open ground, or from March raised in advance on a windowsill. Cover the fine seeds only lightly with soil, as they need light to germinate. With even moisture, buck's-horn plantain germinates after 10 to 14 days. Older, perennial clumps can be divided in spring, which rejuvenates the plant and immediately gives new offsets for further beds.
For your garden
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