Stems hirsute to hirsuto-villous. Leaves margins ciliate, faces hirsute to hirsuto-villous. Ray corollas blue to pinkish. Disc corollas 4.5-6 mm. Cypselae glabrous or glabrate.

Flowering Mar-May(-Jul). Bottomland, creek bottoms, ravines, swamp edges, dry to moist woods of oak, oak-pine, or mixed deciduous, prairies, roadbanks; 50-900(-1200) m; Ont., Que.; Ala., Ark., Conn., Del., Fla., Ga., Ill., Ind., Iowa, Kans., La., Maine, Md., Mass., Mich., Minn., Miss., Mo., N.H., N.J., N.Y., N.C., Ohio, Okla., Pa., R.I., S.C., Tenn., Tex., Vt., Va., W.Va., Wis.

The common name is very inappropriate since it is not a plantain. Infrequent to rare in all parts of the state in open places in woodland or in clearings, more often on or near the banks of streams. It is perennial by stolons and these are often conspicuous in late summer.