Edible: Seeds, Roots, Leaves, Flower stalk, Vegetable
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.
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.
Common Names: Burdock, Beggar's buttons, Edible burdock, 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
Synonyms:
Arctium edule (Siebold ex Miq.) Nakai;
Arctium majus Bernh.
Lappa edulis Siebold ex Miq.;
Lappa major Gaertn.;
Lappa officinalis All.