Greater Burdock

Greater Burdock - Arctium lappa Arctium lappa

 

Colour: Purple
Flowering: July - September
Height: Up to 8' (2.5 m)
Family: Compositae
   

 

Greater Burdock    

 

This tall, bushy plant is used to add a bitter flavour to drinks, as in "dandelion and burdock". The roots were also used as a source of vitamin C to protect against colds and 'flu.

It grows in a variety of habitats - by roadsides, in waste ground and in woodland.

The flowers are reddish-purple and the fruits are hooked to attach to fur or clothing. The leaves are large and heart-shaped.

Greater burdock is very similar to lesser burdock but grows much taller. The sure way to tell them apart is by the stem. The stem of the greater burdock is solid and that of the lesser burdock is hollow.

Greater Burdock - Arctium lappa
    Greater Burdock
Greater Burdock - Arctium lappa  
Greater Burdock    

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