Saturday Botany Photos: Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima)

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Sea Plantain.  This photo was taken in June 2011 in Ketchikan, AK.

Sea Plantain (Plantago maritima) is an herbaceous perennial usually found growing in sandy soils of coastal environments.  It is native to temperate coastal areas around the world in the northern and southern hemispheres.  Though a native of the Pacific Northwest, it is related to two introduced weeds in this area: P. major, and P. lanceolata.  Of these three species, Sea Plantain has the narrowest leaves measuring less than 1 centimeter wide.

The leaves of Sea Plantain, also known as Goose Tongue, are edible (1,2).  I have only eaten it once raw and it was quite tasty, being a little salty flavored, presumably from growing in salty coastal locations.  Les Stroud of "Survivorman" fame also nibbled on it raw in Alaska (2nd season).  Some books recommend steaming it.  Before eating any wild plant, be absolutely positive of it's identification; a mistake could be deadly.