Practical
Plants

Arctium minus

Lesser Burdock

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

No photo available

Taxonomy and growth

Genus
Arctium
Life cycle
biennial
Height
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.

Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this plant, some caution is advised due to the following report for the closely related A. lappa[K]. Care should be taken if harvesting the seed in any quantity since tiny hairs from the seeds can be inhaled and these are toxic[10].

Edible uses

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

Root - raw or cooked[20][21]. The best roots are obtained from young plants[21]. Usually peeled and sliced[7]. The roasted root is a coffee substitute[7]. Young leaves and leaf stems - raw or cooked[21]. Used as a potherb[7]. Mucilaginous. It is best to remove the rind from the stem[21]. Young flowering stem - peeled and eaten raw or cooked like asparagus[6][7]. Seed sprouts[19]. No further details.

Product or use
Coffee
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[16]. Arctium lappa is the main species used, though this species has similar properties[16]. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be used[17]. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems[16]. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body[16]. The plant is antibacterial, antifungal and carminative[22][11][2][3][5]. 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[17][15]. It is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema, acne, impetigo, ringworm, boils, bites etc[15]. The plant can be taken internally as an infusion, or used externally as a wash[15]. Use with caution[3]. One-year old roots are alterative, aperient, blood purifier, cholagogue, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and stomachic[12][13]. The seed is alterative, antibacterial, antifungal, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and hypoglycaemic[5][12]. It is used in the treatment of colds with sore throat and cough, measles, pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis and abscesses[5]. The crushed seed is poulticed onto bruises[13]. The seed is harvested in the summer and dried for later use[16]. The seed contains arctiin, this excites the central nervous system producing convulsions an increase in respiration and later paralysis. It also lowers the blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels[5]. The leaves are poulticed onto burns, ulcers and sores[13].

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

Material uses

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

A fibre is obtained from the inner bark and is used to make paper. It is about 0.9mm long[8]. The stems are harvested in late summer, the leaves are removed and the stems steamed in order to strip off the fibre. The fibres are then cooked for two hours in soda ash before being put in a ball mill for 2 hours[8]. The resulting paper is a light tan/ brown colour[8].

Product or use
Paper

Environment

Range
Most of Europe, including Britain, south and east to N. Africa and the Caucasus.
Habitat
Waste ground, edges of woods, roadsides etc[18][1].
Light
full sun
Shade tolerance
light shade
Water
moderate
Hardiness
Zone 5+
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 autumn.

Cultivation

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

Succeeds on most soils, preferably moist[9]. Prefers a sunny position. Prefers partial shade according to another report[9]. A polymorphic species[4]. A good butterfly plant[14].

References

  1. Triska. Dr. Hamlyn Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn 1975-00-00 ISBN 0-600-33545-3

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  4. Clapham, Tootin and Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press 1962-00-00

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  6. Kunkel. G. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books 1984-00-00 ISBN 3874292169

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

  8. Bell. L. A. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press 1988-00-00

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2

  13. 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

  14. Baines. C. Making a Wildlife Garden.

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4↩5

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

    ↩1↩2

  18. Mabey. R. Food for Free. Collins 1974-00-00 ISBN 0-00-219060-5

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩

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

    ↩1↩2↩3↩4

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

    ↩

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