Burdock (Arctium spp) is a genus of the plant kingdom that is found all over the world with both edible and medicinal uses.

Burdock and I go way back to my college days when my knowledge of the natural world grew very rapidly. The sweet smell of burdock flowers and rough burs covered a patch of parkland I visited regularly.

I mostly see it in the mountains of Virginia, rarely seeing it in Central Virginia. It’s found in most states the United States, however, though not in some southern states.

Identification:

Burdock has large burrs that can stick to your clothing or animal fur. It can grow to be fairly tall in fields when not mowed frequently or along fences.

Flower: Purple flowers on tips of prickly ball of bracts. Blooms between June and October. Flower heads are approximately 1 to 3 cm across.

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Leaves: Large, wavy, heart-shaped leaves that are green on the top and whitish on the bottom makes identification easy. Leaves can grow to 20 in size.

Height: 1 – 2 yards tall.

Habitat: River banks, disturbed habitats, roadsides, vacant lots, and fields. It grows throughout North America but not in the southern regions.

Lookalikes: You may find that the flowers look similar to thistle, but the leaves of burdock are very different – very broad, large, and thornless. See milk thistle below.

Edibility:

The parts you can eat include the first-year roots, second-year stems, and the flower stalks before the flowers appear. The very young leaves may be eaten as well before the flower appears.

Stems need to be peeled, the roots can usually be scrubbed clean to get all the dirt off like you would a carrot or a potato.

Health Benefits:

Burdock roots are an excellent source of nutrients. In any survival situation, carbohydrates will be in short supply. If you can find an abundant source of burdock, you’ll be in great shape, just be sure to limit your harvest to keep the population thriving. Burdock roots contain carbohydrates, protein, and fiber.

It also has 10% daily value of iron, 10% daily value of manganese, 9% daily value of magnesium, 7% daily value of phosphorus, and small amounts of calcium, potassium, selenium, Vitamin C, some B vitamins, choline, vitamin E, and vitamin k.

Medicinal Value:

When consumed, burdock can help the body expel toxins, cleaning the liver and gallbladder.

The leaves can help as an appetite stimulant for limiting gas and indigestion (dyspeptic) complaints.

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