Paleseed Plantain is a native annual or biennial weed with very wooly foliage and a taproot. It can be found in sandy prairies and fields, rocky cliffs or slopes, gravelly areas along railroads and roadsides, and disturbed areas. This species is usually found in disturbed areas with scant vegetation. It is not as prolific a self-seeder as some of the other plantains and so will not become a problem in lawns and landscapes unless the soil is especially sandy or gravelly.
Curated pairwise relationships between this plant and others in the library — who feeds
whom, who competes, who confuses the pests. Green reads as a good pairing, red as one to avoid.
No curated interactions recorded for this species yet.
Also noted by NC State
Related species the NC State Plant Toolbox flags for this plant — look-alikes to tell
apart, and plants that play a similar role in a planting. Ones we carry in the library are linked.
Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
Soil texture
Clay; Loam (Silt); Sand; Shallow Rocky
Soil drainage
Occasionally Dry
Available space
Less than 12 inches
Mature size
Height: 0 ft. 3 in. - 0 ft. 6 in. | Width: 0 ft. 3 in. - 1 ft. 0 in.
Canopy layer
5 - Groundcover (<1 ft)
Form & Appearance
Leaf color
Green
Leaf type
Simple
Leaf arrangement
Rosulate
Leaf shape
Oblanceolate; Obovate; Ovate
Leaf margin
Entire
Leaf feel
Soft
Leaf size
> 6 inches long, 1-3 inches wide
Hairs present
Yes
Leaf detail
Medium green leaves 3-5 veins can grow up to 6" long and 3" wide but are typically half this size various sizes oblanceolate, obovate, and oval. Petioles are reddish and winged. Covered with short white hairs.
Flower color
White
Flower form
Spike
Flower size
< 1 inch
Flower detail
4-8" tall and unbranched with tiny 1/8" white flowers from mid-spring to early summer. Flowers are wind pollinated.