#arctium

[eidola-eidola]

Burdock flowers

[charmed-n-zesty]

In the meadows.

[oripeau]

This week in Nantes: n°583 | Arctium, by Dalija Kaukenaite ↦ LTU

More → kaukenaite.com More → oripeau.art Submit → oripeau.art/submit Playlist → open.spotify.com/playlist/4R7PXexzD8ifWlzb7YiH76

This project is supported by trempo.com

[angiec333]

Burdock flowers (Arctium) in late summer

Image available at Picfair

[sylvansart]

Arctium commission!!

[regnum-plantae]

Arctium, Asteraceae

I haven’t seen burdock in a long time, then suddenly two plants within a week, the only ones I’ve found since moving to Scotland. It didn’t help they both seem to share traits of A. lappa, greater burdock, and A. nemorosum, wood burdock, so for all I know they could have been hybrids of the two species, but I’m leaning towards them being the latter. All species of burdock are of Eurasian origin and have been introduced to and naturalised in many other temperate areas.  

These biennials with thistle-like flowers have a long history of cultivation as culinary plants, with young shoots, leaves, stems and roots all being edible, still particularly popular in Asian cuisine -the first year root is the vegetable known as gobō in Japan, but this part is the most consumed anywhere the plants grows. Here in the UK it is also part of a fizzy drink of Medieval origin called dandelion & burdock, which you can easily find in stores (but that I’m personally not particularly fond of, but I’m not a fan of fizzy drinks other than beer to be fair). The poulticed leaves are antibacterial and have been used against external sores, ulcers, swelling and insect bites, but the root is again the part most used for its medicinal properties. Fresh, or dried and made into a tea, it’s diuretic, depurative and detoxifying. It isn’t advisable to use this plant if you’re pregnant though, as it can cause complications. 

If you find a burdock plant in the next period you can collect the seeds, if ready, and sow them in late autumn. By next spring or summer you’ll be able to harvest and use the root at its best.  

[benji-cheung]

Arctium, Natalia Romanenko || 30 units (3.00 x 12.73, 1:3√2) || Instructions

[superterrane]

bardana