Description:
Biennial growing to 2m by 1m.
A stout handsome plant, with large, wavy leaves and round
heads of purple flowers. It is enclosed in a globular involucre
of long stiff scales with hooked tips, the scales being also
often interwoven with a white, cottony substance.
The whole plant is a dull, pale green, the stem about 3 to
4 feet and branched, rising from a biennial root. The lower
leaves are very large, on long, solid foot-stalks, furrowed
above, frequently more than a foot long heart-shaped and of
a grey colour on their under surfaces from the mass of fine
down with which they are covered. The upper leaves are much
smaller, more egg-shaped in form and not so densely clothed
beneath with the grey down.
Distribution and habitat:
Woodland Garden; Sunny Edge; Meadow; Cultivated Beds
Great Burdock grows in most of Europe, including Britain, east
to northern Asia.
Hystory:
The name of the genus, Arctium, is derived from the Greek
arktos, a bear, in allusion to the roughness of the burs, lappa,
the specific name, being derived from a word meaning 'to seize.'
Another source derives the word lappa from the Celtic llap,
a hand, on account of its prehensile properties.
The plant gets its name of 'Dock' from its large leaves;
the 'Bur' is supposed to be a contraction of the French bourre,
from the Latin burra, a lock of wool, such is often found
entangled with it when sheep have passed by the growing plants.
An old English name for the Burdock was 'Herrif,' 'Aireve,'
or 'Airup,' from the Anglo-Saxon hoeg, a hedge,
and reafe, a robber - or from the Anglo-Saxon verb reafian,
to seize. Culpepper gives as popular names in his time:
Personata, Happy Major and Clot-Bur.
Though growing in its wild state hardly any animal except
the ass will browse on this plant, the stalks, cut before
the flower is open and stripped of their rind, form a delicate
vegetable when boiled, similar in flavour to Asparagus,
and also make a pleasant salad, eaten raw with oil and
vinegar. Formerly they were sometimes candied with sugar,
as Angelica is now. They are slightly
laxative,
but perfectly wholesome.
After taking his dog for a walk one day in the early 1940s,
George de Mestral, a Swiss inventor, became curious about
the seeds of the burdock plant that had attached themselves
to his clothes and to the dog's fur. Under a microscope,
he looked closely at the hook-and-loop system that the seeds
use to hitchhike on passing animals aiding seed dispersal,
and he realised that the same approach could be used to join
other things together. The result was Velcro.
Parts used:
Root, herb and seeds (fruits).
Constituens:
Burdock root contains high amounts of inulin and mucilage.
This may explain its soothing effects on the gastrointestinal
tract.
Bitter constituents in the root may also explain the
traditional use of burdock to improve digestion. It also contains
polyacetylenes that have been shown to have anti-microbial
activity. Burdock root and fruit also have the ability to slightly
lower blood sugar (hypoglycemic effect). Even though test-tube
and animal studies have indicated some anti-tumor activity
for burdock root, these results have not been duplicated in
human studies.
Edible Uses:
Edible Parts: Leaves; Root; Seed; Stem.
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.
Medicinal Uses:
Alterative ;
Antibacterial;
Antifungal;
Antiphlogistic;
Aperient;
Blood purifier;
Carminative;
Cholagogue;
Depurative;
Diaphoretic;
Diuretic;
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.
Others Uses:
Hair.
The juice of the plant, when used as a friction, is said to
have a stimulating action against baldness.
Dosage:
Collect the root in the spring or fall of the second year;
when the plant has a stem. The root may be used fresh or
dried.
Burdock poultice: it is good on old skin
ulcers (SEE ULCERS) and sores (SEE SORES). Make the poultice
of the root, adding a tsp. of salt; it eases the pain of
a wound caused by the bite of a dog. The leaves wilted
by the fire, and applied to an external injury, will stop
inflammation and ease pain; pounded and put on to a bruise
or sprain, it will give immediate relief.
Decoction: use 1 tsp. root with 1 cup
cold water. Let stand for 5 hours, then bring to a boil.
Take 1 cup a day.
Tincture: Take 10-25 drops, in water,
camomile tea, or regular tea, 3-4 times a day.
Juice: Grate the fresh root and add half
again as much water. Squeeze out the liquid. Drink 1 cup
a day, a mouthful at a time.
Safety:
Use of burdock root in the dosages listed here is generally
safe. However, burdock root in large quantities may stimulate
the uterus and therefore should be used with caution during
pregnancy. Do not use burdock if you are suffering from diarrhea.
Care should be taken if harvesting the seed in any quantity
since tiny hairs
from the seeds can be inhaled and these are toxic.
