• A. lappa
• A. minus
• A. minus nemorosum
• A. pubens
• A. tomentosum

Burdock, refers to any of a group of biennial thistles in the genus Arctium, family Asteraceae. Common Burdock (A. minus) grows wild throughout most of North America, Europe and Asia.

Plants of the genus Arctium have dark green leaves that can grow up to 18" (45 cm) long. They are generally large, course andovate, with the lower ones being heart-shaped. They are woolly underneath. The leafstalks are generally hollow. Arctium species generally flower from July through October.

The prickly heads of these Old World weeds are noted for easily catching onto fur and clothing, thus providing an excellent mechanism for seed dispersal. Burs cause local irritation and can possibly cause intestinal hairballs in pets. However, most animals avoid ingesting these plants.

A large number of species have been placed in genus Arctium at one time or another, but most of them are now classified in the related genus Cousinia . The precise limits between Arctium and Cousinia are hard to define; there is an exact correlation between their molecular phylogeny. The burdocks are sometimes confused with the cockleburs (genus Xanthium) and rhubarb (genus Rheum).

The roots of burdock, among other plants, are eaten by the larva of the Ghost Moth (Hepialus humuli).

The green, above-ground portions may cause contact dermatitis in humans due to the lactones the plant produces.

Uses

The taproot of young burdock plants can be harvested and eaten as a root vegetable. While generally out of favor in modern European cuisine, it remains popular in Asia. Edible Burdock is called gobo (牛蒡) in Japanese. Plants are cultivated for their slender roots, which can grow up to 1 meter long and 2 cm across. Burdock root is very crispy and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavor. Immature flower stalks may also be harvested in late spring, before flowers appear; the taste resembles that of artichoke, to which the burdock is related.

"Dandelion and Burdock" is a soft drink that has long been popular in the United Kingdom, and authentic recipes are sold by health food shops, but it is not clear whether the cheaper supermarket versions actually contain either plant. Burdock is believed to be a galactagogue.

Folk herbalists consider dried burdock to be a diuretic, diaphoretic, and a blood purifying agent.

Species

• Arctium lappa : Greater Burdock , Gobo
• Arctium minus : Lesser Burdock , Burweed, Louse-bur, Button-bur
  • Arctium minus nemorosum (=Arctium vulgare) : Woodland Burdock , Wood Burdock
• Arctium pubens : Common Burdock
• Arctium tomentosum : Downy Burdock , Woolly Burdock