| Arctium minus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Leaves | |
Scientific classification  | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Angiosperms |
| Clade: | Eudicots |
| Clade: | Asterids |
| Order: | Asterales |
| Family: | Asteraceae |
| Genus: | Arctium |
| Species: | A. minus |
| Binomial name | |
| Arctium minus | |
| Synonyms [1] | |
Synonymy
| |
Arctium minus, commonly known as lesser burdock, [2] little burdock, louse-bur, common burdock, [3] button-bur, cuckoo-button, [3] or wild rhubarb, [4] is a biennial plant native to Europe.
Arctium minus is a biennial plant growing up to 1.8 metres (6 ft) tall [5] [6] and form multiple branches. It is large and bushy. The leaves are up to 50 cm (20 in) long and ovate. The lower leaves are heart-shaped and have very wavy margins. Leaves are dark green above and woolly below. It grows an extremely deep taproot, up to 30 cm (12 in) into the ground. [7] [8] The plant produces flowers in its second year of growth, from July to October. The flowers are prickly and pink to purple in color. The flower heads are about 2 cm (3⁄4 in) wide, surrounded by a cluster of bracts. [5] [6] The outer bracts end in hooks causing a hook-and-loop effect after the flower head dries, when the bracts will attach to humans and animals to transport the seedhead. [9]
The flowers resemble and can be easily mistaken for thistles, but burdock can be distinguished by its extremely large leaves and its hooked bracts.
The plant is native to Europe, [10] but has become introduced elsewhere such as Australia, North and South America, and other places. [11] [12] [13] [14]
The leafstalks (up to a year old), leaves, [6] and flower stalks can be eaten raw or cooked. The roots are edible boiled with a change of water, [5] though become too woody to eat in plants over a year old. [15] The leaves can also be used to make herbal tea. [6]
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