Practical
Plants

Arctium lappa

Great Burdock

a biennial member of the Arctium genus in the family Compositae.

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Arctium
Life cycle
biennial
Height
2 m
Spread
1 m
Fertility
Self fertile, Bees, Lepidoptera, Self
Flower type
hermaphrodite
Pollinators
Bees, Lepidoptera, Self

Uses

Toxicity

Toxicity warning. The historical record reports a hazard for this plant. Do not use it to decide which parts are safe to eat or use medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Care should be taken if harvesting the seed in any quantity since tiny hairs from the seeds can be inhaled and these are toxic[12].

Edible uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Root - raw or cooked[10][27][29][4][8]. Very young roots can be eaten raw, but older roots are normally cooked[13]. They can be up to 120cm long and 2.5cm wide at the top, but are best harvested when no more than 60cm long[13]. Old and very long roots are apt to become woody at the core[13]. Although it does not have much flavour the root can absorb other flavours[1]. Young roots have a mild flavour, but this becomes stronger as the root gets older[13]. The root is white but discolours rapidly when exposed to the air[13]. Roots can be dried for later use[15]. They contain about 2.5% protein, 0.14% fat, 14.5% carbohydrate, 1.17% ash[8]. The root contains about 45% inulin[20]. Inulin is a starch that cannot be digested by the human body, and thus passes straight through the digestive system. In some people this starch will cause fermentation in the gut, resulting in wind[K]. Inulin can be converted into a sweetener that is suitable for diabetics to eat[K]. Young leaves - raw or cooked[29][3][4][26]. A mucilaginous texture[8]. The leaves contain about 3.5% protein, 1.8% fat, 19.4% carbohydrate, 8.8% ash[8]. Young stalks and branches - raw or cooked[10][29][24][25][26]. Used like asparagus or spinach[3][9]. They taste best if the rind is removed[28][2]. The leaf stalks can be parboiled and used as a substitute for cardoons[9]. The pith of the flowering stem can be eaten raw in salads, boiled or made into confections[23][9]. A delicate vegetable, somewhat like asparagus in flavour[23]. The seeds can be sprouted and used like bean-sprouts[3][24][9].

Plant part
Leaves
Plant part
Root
Plant part
Seed
Plant part
Stem

Medicinal uses

Historical medicinal uses. These records describe reported uses. They do not establish safety or effectiveness. Ask a qualified health professional before using any plant medicinally.

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Burdock is one of the foremost detoxifying herbs in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine[22]. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be used[23]. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems[22]. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body[22]. The plant is also part of a North American formula called essiac which is a popular treatment for cancer. Its effectiveness has never been reliably proven or disproven since controlled studies have not been carried out. The other herbs included in the formula are Rumex acetosella, Ulmus rubra and Rheum palmatum[22]. The plant is antibacterial, antifungal, carminative[29][14][5][6][7]. It has soothing, mucilaginous properties and is said to be one of the most certain cures for many types of skin diseases, burns, bruises etc[23][21]. It is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema, acne, impetigo, ringworm, boils, bites etc[21]. The plant can be taken internally as an infusion, or used externally as a wash[21]. Use with caution[6]. The roots of one-year old plants are harvested in mid-summer and dried. They are alterative, aperient, blood purifier, cholagogue, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and stomachic[16][18]. The seed is alterative, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic and diuretic[16]. Recent research has shown that seed extracts lower blood sugar levels[19]. The seed is harvested in the summer and dried for later use[22]. The crushed seed is poulticed onto bruises[18]. The leaves are poulticed onto burns, ulcers and sores[18].

Product or use
Alterative
Product or use
Antibacterial
Product or use
Antifungal
Product or use
Antiphlogistic
Product or use
Aperient
Product or use
Blood purifier
Product or use
Carminative
Product or use
Cholagogue
Product or use
Depurative
Product or use
Diaphoretic
Product or use
Diuretic
Product or use
Hypoglycaemic
Product or use
Stomachic

Material uses

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

The juice of the plant, when used as a friction, is said to have a stimulating action against baldness[27].

Product or use
Hair care

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, east to northern Asia.
Habitat
Waste ground, preferring calcareous soils[27], it is sometimes also found in meadows and woods[29].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 3+
Soil textures
sandy, loamy, clay
Soil pH
acid, neutral, alkaline
Drainage
well drained
Tolerates Nutritionally Poor Soil
No
Drought
intolerant

Propagation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Seed - best sown in situ in the autumn[11]. The seed can also be sown in spring[13]. Germination can be erratic, it is best to sow the seed in trays and plant out the young plants before the tap-root develops[13]. Seed requires a minimum temperature of 10°c, but a temperature of 20 - 25°c is optimum[13]. Germination rates can be improved by pre-soaking the seed for 12 hours or by scarification[13]. They germinate best in the light[13]. The autumn sowing should be made as late as possible because any plants with roots more than 3mm in diameter in the spring will quickly run to seed if cold temperatures are followed by daylengths longer than 12½ hours[13].

Cultivation

This section contains historical Plants For A Future notes marked noncommercial.

Succeeds in most soils when grown in partial shade[11]. Prefers a moist neutral to alkaline soil[19] and a sunny position in a heavy soil[17]. Plants are best grown in a light well-drained soil if the roots are required for culinary use[11][13]. Tolerates a pH in the range 4.6 to 7.8. The top growth dies back at temperatures a little above freezing, but the roots tolerate much lower temperatures[13] and can be left in the ground all winter to be harvested as required. Burdock is cultivated for its edible root in Japan, there are some named varieties[9]. Spring-sown seed produces edible roots in late summer and autumn, whilst autumn sown crops mature in the following spring or early summer[13]. Although the plants are quite large, it is best to grow them fairly close together (about 15cm apart, or in rows 30cm apart with the plants 5 - 8cm apart in the rows) since this encourages the development of long straight roots[13]. The seed head has little hooked prickles and these attach themselves to the hairs or clothing of passing creatures and can thus be carried for some considerable distance from the parent plant[23]. The plants usually self-sow freely[19]. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies[13].

References

  1. Brooklyn Botanic Garden Oriental Herbs and Vegetables, Vol 39 No. 2. Brooklyn Botanic Garden 1986-00-00

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  2. Rosengarten. jnr. F. The Book of Edible Nuts. Walker & Co. 1984-00-00 ISBN 0802707699

    ↩

  3. Loewenfeld. C. and Back. P. Britain's Wild Larder. David and Charles ISBN 0-7153-7971-2

    ↩1↩2↩3

  4. Holtom. J. and Hylton. W. Complete Guide to Herbs. Rodale Press 1979-00-00 ISBN 0-87857-262-7

    ↩1↩2

  5. ? A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press ISBN 0-914294-92-X

    ↩

  6. Mills. S. Y. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.

    ↩1↩2

  7. Yeung. Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, Los Angeles 1985-00-00

    ↩

  8. Reid. B. E. Famine Foods of the Chiu-Huang Pen-ts'ao. Taipei. Southern Materials Centre 1977-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  9. Facciola. S. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-9628087-0-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  10. Hedrick. U. P. Sturtevant's Edible Plants of the World. Dover Publications 1972-00-00 ISBN 0-486-20459-6

    ↩1↩2

  11. Huxley. A. The New RHS Dictionary of Gardening. 1992. MacMillan Press 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-333-47494-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  12. Erhardt. W. Hemerocallis. Day Lilies. Batsford. 1992-00-00 ISBN 0-7134-7065-8

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  13. Larkcom J. Oriental Vegetables John Murray 1991-00-00 ISBN 0-7195-4781-4

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5↩6↩7↩8↩9↩10↩11↩12↩13↩14↩15↩16

  14. Lust. J. The Herb Book. Bantam books 1983-00-00 ISBN 0-553-23827-2

    ↩

  15. Weiner. M. A. Earth Medicine, Earth Food. Ballantine Books 1980-00-00 ISBN 0-449-90589-6

    ↩

  16. Duke. J. A. and Ayensu. E. S. Medicinal Plants of China Reference Publications, Inc. 1985-00-00 ISBN 0-917256-20-4

    ↩1↩2

  17. Sholto-Douglas. J. Alternative Foods.

    ↩

  18. Foster. S. & Duke. J. A. A Field Guide to Medicinal Plants. Eastern and Central N. America. Houghton Mifflin Co. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0395467225

    ↩1↩2↩3

  19. Bown. D. Encyclopaedia of Herbs and their Uses. Dorling Kindersley, London. 1995-00-00 ISBN 0-7513-020-31

    ↩1↩2↩3

  20. Chopra. R. N., Nayar. S. L. and Chopra. I. C. Glossary of Indian Medicinal Plants (Including the Supplement). Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, New Delhi. 1986-00-00

    ↩

  21. Phillips. R. & Foy. N. Herbs Pan Books Ltd. London. 1990-00-00 ISBN 0-330-30725-8

    ↩1↩2↩3

  22. Chevallier. A. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants Dorling Kindersley. London 1996-00-00 ISBN 9-780751-303148

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  23. Grieve. A Modern Herbal. Penguin 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-14-046-440-9

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

  24. Larkcom. J. Salads all the Year Round. Hamlyn 1980-00-00

    ↩1↩2

  25. Harris. B. C. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health 1973-00-00

    ↩

  26. Elias. T. and Dykeman. P. A Field Guide to N. American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold 1982-00-00 ISBN 0442222009

    ↩1↩2

  27. Chiej. R. Encyclopaedia of Medicinal Plants. MacDonald 1984-00-00 ISBN 0-356-10541-5

    ↩1↩2↩3

  28. Harrington. H. D. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press 1967-00-00 ISBN 0-8623-0343-9

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  29. Launert. E. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn 1981-00-00 ISBN 0-600-37216-2

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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