# Sea Plantain (*Plantago maritima*)

Sea Plantain is a special plant that grows near the ocean. Its long, green leaves are shaped like a spoon and can be found on sandy shores and rocky beaches.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Coastal areas

![Sea Plantain](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Plantago-maritima-foliage.JPG&width=800)

Photo: Sten Porse, CC BY-SA 3.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Plantago-maritima-foliage.JPG)

## Appearance

The Sea Plantain has long, narrow, fleshy leaves that resemble grass or a goose's tongue, often tinted reddish-green. Its small, greenish-brown flowers are tightly packed into a distinctive, cylindrical spike atop a leafless stem.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Lamiales
- **Family:** Plantaginaceae
- **Genus:** Plantago

## Interesting facts

- Ancient Vikings may have used its leaves for food during long sea voyages!
- Even though it's a plant, its leaves are sometimes called 'goose tongue'.
- Its seeds swell into a jelly-like substance when wet, helping them stick to new places.
- This tough plant can grow right on the edges of shifting sand dunes!

## Special abilities

- **Salt Guardian:** Sea Plantain can thrive in salty coastal soils because it has special cells that manage salt levels.
- **Wind Weaver:** Sea Plantain has tiny, simple flowers without bright petals, allowing the wind to easily carry its pollen.
- **Water Miser:** Its thick, fleshy leaves store water, helping the Sea Plantain survive dry spells in its exposed coastal home.
- **Anchor Roots:** Sea Plantain has strong roots that grip loose soil, helping it stay put in windy, erosion-prone coastal areas.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-40 cm
- **Spread:** 10-30 cm
- **Flower Size:** 0.2-0.3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Late spring to early autumn
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Wind

## Ecological connections

- **Eaten by:** Heath Fritillary (*Mellicta athalia*) — Its larvae feed on plantain leaves.
- **Eaten by:** [Brent Goose](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brent-goose) (*Branta bernicla*) — Geese graze on its leaves in coastal marshes.
- **Eaten by:** [Water Pipit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/water-pipit) (*Anthus spinoletta*) — Birds forage for its seeds in salty habitats.

## Traits

- [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle.
- [Salt Tolerant](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/salt-tolerant): Salt tolerant plants can withstand and grow in conditions with elevated salinity levels in the soil or water.
- [Edible](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/edible): Edible plants are those parts of a plant that are considered safe for human consumption.
- [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater.
- [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 1/5 · Very low

Always look but don't touch plants without asking an adult first.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Sea Plantain?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Sea Plantain?

5-40 cm

### How wide does Sea Plantain spread?

10-30 cm

### How big are the flowers on Sea Plantain?

0.2-0.3 cm

### When does Sea Plantain bloom?

Late spring to early autumn

### Is Sea Plantain edible?

Yes

### Is Sea Plantain toxic?

None

### What is Sea Plantain's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Great Wass Island Preserve](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/great-wass-island-preserve) — Maine, US · Nature Reserve
- [Parc national du Bic](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/parc-national-du-bic) — Québec, CA · National Park
- [Mullen's Head Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/mullens-head-park) — Maine, US · Park

[View all places to see Sea Plantain](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/sea-plantain)

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Sea Plantain: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sea-plantain)