The invention relates to a pulverized coal burner for a steam generator. The pulverized coal burner has a fuel duct, through which pulverized coal is conveyed with the aid of a carrier gas. The pulverized coal emerges together with the carrier gas at a fuel duct outlet. The pulverized coal burner furthermore has at least one core duct and at least one secondary duct. Air or oxygen flows through the core duct and the secondary duct, emerging at the core duct outlet and at the secondary duct outlet. The core duct outlet, the secondary duct outlet and the fuel duct outlet together form a burner outlet. The pulverized coal burner has at least one plasma ignition torch embodied integrally with the pulverized coal burner. The outlet of the at least one plasma ignition torch is arranged in the plane of the burner outlet or offset downstream in relation to the direction of flow of the pulverized coal. The plasma flame produced by the plasma ignition torch is thus located outside the fuel duct.