Arctium lappa
L.
Burdock, Beggar's buttons, Edible burdock
(c) tlit46, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by tlit46
(c) tlit46, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by tlit46
(c) grinnin, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by grinnin
What to Eat
Edible parts: Seeds, Roots, Leaves, Flower stalk, Vegetable
Edible Parts: Leaves Root Seed Stem Edible Uses: Root - raw or cooked. Very young roots can be eaten raw, but older roots are normally cooked. They can be up to 120cm long and 2.5cm wide at the top, but are best harvested when no more than 60cm long. Old and very long roots are apt to become woody at the core. Although it does not have much flavour the root can absorb other flavours. Young roots have a mild flavour, but this becomes stronger as the root gets older. The root is white but discolours rapidly when exposed to the air. Roots can be dried for later use. They contain about 2.5% protein, 0.14% fat, 14.5% carbohydrate, 1.17% ash. The root contains about 45% inulin. 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. Inulin can be converted into a sweetener that is suitable for diabetics to eat. Young leaves - raw or cooked. A mucilaginous texture. The leaves contain about 3.5% protein, 1.8% fat, 19.4% carbohydrate, 8.8% ash. Young stalks and branches - raw or cooked. Used like asparagus or spinach. They taste best if the rind is removed. The leaf stalks can be parboiled and used as a substitute for cardoons. The pith of the flowering stem can be eaten raw in salads, boiled or made into confections. A delicate vegetable, somewhat like asparagus in flavour. The seeds can be sprouted and used like bean-sprouts. References More on Edible Uses Composition Figures in grams (g) or miligrams (mg) per 100g of food. Leaves (Fresh weight) 0 Calories per 100g Water : 0% Protein: 3.5g; Fat: 1.8g; Carbohydrate: 19.4g; Fibre: 0g; Ash: 8.8g; Minerals - Calcium: 0mg; Phosphorus: 0mg; Iron: 0mg; Magnesium: 0mg; Sodium: 0mg; Potassium: 0mg; Zinc: 0mg; Vitamins - A: 0mg; Thiamine (B1): 0mg; Riboflavin (B2): 0mg; Niacin: 0mg; B6: 0mg; C: 0mg; Reference: Notes:
Known Hazards
Dangerous Lookalikes
This plant can be confused with the following toxic species. Always verify identification carefully before consuming any wild plant.
Foxglove: Toothed leaf edges, soft velvety hairs, no silvery underside.
Burdock: Very large leaves with wavy edges, pale veins, silvery/woolly undersides, thick edible taproot.
Where to Find It
It can grow in temperate regions but also in warm and humid places. In frosty places leaves will die back but plants will re-shoot from the roots. They need full sun and good drainage. They do best in soils with a pH of 6.5-7.5. It does not grow well in acid soils. Too much nitrogen fertiliser causes forking of the roots. They grow in Nepal at 2000 to 3600 m altitude in moist open places. It grows in wetlands. It grows in Sichuan. In Yunnan.
Afghanistan, Africa, Albania, Armenia, Asia, Australia, Austria, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Balkans, Belarus, Belgium, Bhutan, Bosnia, Britain, Bulgaria, Canada, Caucasus, China, Croatia, Czech, Denmark, Estonia, Europe, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hawaii, Himalayas, Hungary, India, Indochina, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Korea, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macedonia, Mediterranean, Middle East, Moldova, Nepal, Netherlands, New Zealand, North Africa, North America, Norway, Pacific, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scandinavia, SE Asia, Siberia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tasmania, Tibet, Ukraine, United Kingdom, USA, Vietnam, Yugoslavia,
How to Identify
A tall growing herb or shrub which takes two years from planting to flower and seed production. Plants can be 2 m tall. The plant forms a clump of very large, grey-green wavy-edged leaves. The leaves can be 50 cm long. The leaves and stems are covered with fine hairs. The leaves are paler underneath. In the second year a tall branched flower stalk 2 m tall grows from the centre of the clump. There are many flowers which are small and purple or white. They have a bract around them that is longer than the flower. The fruit is a spiky seed pod. This burr attaches itself to clothes. The burdock roots are long and slender and resemble parsnips. They can be a metre long and 3 cm wide. The skin is brown and the flesh is white.
Nutrition Score: 34/100
| Part | Moisture | kJ | kcal | Protein | Vit A | Vit C | Iron | Zinc |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Root - boiled | 75.6 | 368 | 88 | 2.1 | 0 | 3 | 0.8 | 0.4 |
| Root - raw | 80.1 | 301 | 72 | 1.5 | 0 | 3 | 0.8 | 0.3 |
| Leaves | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Seeds | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Flower stalk Pith | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
How to Grow
Succeeds in most soils when grown in partial shade. Prefers a moist neutral to alkaline soil and a sunny position in a heavy soil. Plants are best grown in a light well-drained soil if the roots are required for culinary use. 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 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. Spring-sown seed produces edible roots in late summer and autumn, whilst autumn sown crops mature in the following spring or early summer. 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. 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. The plants usually self-sow freely. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies. In garden design, as well as the above-ground architecture of a plant, root structure considerations help in choosing plants that work together for their optimal soil requirements including nutrients and water. Thick or swollen - fibrous or tap root.
Propagation: Seed - best sown in situ in the autumn. The seed can also be sown in spring. Germination can be erratic, it is best to sow the seed in trays and plant out the young plants before the tap-root develops. Seed requires a minimum temperature of 10°c, but a temperature of 20 - 25°c is optimum. Germination rates can be improved by pre-soaking the seed for 12 hours or by scarification. They germinate best in the light. 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.
Medicinal Uses
Alterative Antibacterial Antifungal Antiphlogistic Antipsoriatic Aperient Blood purifier Carminative Cholagogue Depurative Diaphoretic Diuretic Eczema Hypoglycaemic Stomachic Burdock is one of the foremost detoxifying herbs in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be used. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body. 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. The plant is antibacterial, antifungal, carminative. 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. It is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema, acne, impetigo, ringworm, boils, bites etc. The plant can be taken internally as an infusion, or used externally as a wash. Use with caution. 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. The seed is alterative, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic and diuretic. Recent research has shown that seed extracts lower blood sugar levels. The seed is harvested in the summer and dried for later use. The crushed seed is poulticed onto bruises. The leaves are poulticed onto burns, ulcers and sores.
Other Uses
Hair The juice of the plant, when used as a friction, is said to have a stimulating action against baldness. Special Uses Attracts Wildlife Food Forest
Wikipedia
Source ↗Arctium lappa, commonly called greater burdock, gobō (牛蒡/ゴボウ), edible burdock, lappa, beggar's buttons, thorny burr, or happy major is a Eurasian species of plants in the family Asteraceae. It has become an invasive weed of high-nitrogen soils in North America, Australia, and other regions, but is cultivated for its vegetable root.
Production
Roots can be harvested after about 5-8 months. Roots should be 25 mm across and 60 cm long. Roots left too long become woody and tough. The flavour of roots is not as good once plants have flowered.
Other Information
It is a commercially cultivated vegetable. It is a popular vegetable in Japan. It is called "Gobo". The young stems are eaten by children. It is sold in local markets.
Notes
There are 10 Arctium species. This one has been declared a noxious weed in Tasmania. It has anti-allergy properties. Volatile oil, lignans, lactones, caffeic acid derivatives, including chlorogenic acid, isochlorogenic acid, polysaccharides (fructose), mucilages (xyloglucans, xylanic acids), riterpenes: phytosterols and tannins.
Names & Synonyms
Baomujicigen, Bojtorjan, Cicak, Clotbur, Cuckold, Dzirkhvena, Elaba, Gobo, Harlock, Kratuk, Kurya, Lopuch, Lopukh, Navadni repinec, Ngao pong, Niu pang, Niu bang zi, Purchukli, Repuh, Seta-kina, Storborre, Ueong, Uong
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