Nature Bulletin No. 117   May 24, 1947
Forest Preserve District of Cook County
William N. Erickson, President
Roberts Mann, Supt. of Conservation

****:THE BURDOCK

Burdock is a common weed found growing along railroad rights of 
way, along roadsides, in vacant lots, in farmyards and pastures. 
Around abandoned farm buildings, or their former locations, will be 
found big patches of burdock. Birds know this and, whenever a deep 
snow or an ice storm makes food scarce, pheasants seek these patches 
to peck at the clusters of brown burs and eat the seeds.

The plant was brought here from Europe long ago. Being a biennial 
with big tough roots that go deep into the soil, it is hard to kill. In 
early spring it sends up two large broad rough leaves on sturdy stalks. 
In summer the flower stalk grows and branches like a young tree. 
There may be from 10 to 30 or more branches, each with 15 to 40 
composite flowers, singly and in clusters. Each flower, in shades of 
lavender or pink, is about 3/8 inch in diameter and surrounded by a 
sticky mass of gummy spines.

The mature flower becomes a brown bur, brisling with spines. Each 
spine is tipped with a very sharp tiny hook which catches and clings to 
clothing and to the hair or fur of animals. A dog's coat, sheep' s wool, 
and the tails of horses and cattle frequently become matted with these 
burs. Thus the plant spreads its seeds.

Each bur is tightly packed with 30 to 40 tough elongated seeds. We 
found one flower stalk 9 feet tall, 1 1/2 inches thick at the base, with 
35 branches, 1055 burs and at least 31,650 seeds. Even if a burdock is 
mowed down in late summer it will grow a short flower stalk with a 
few flowers before winter comes, as if the plant were determined to 
produce seed. No wonder it is so prolific.

If people would eat more burdock we might get rid of some of it. A 
cultivated variety is grown for food in Japan. In Europe it is eaten in 
various ways and here you may see people of Italian descent gathering 
burdock. The young leaves and the pith of young stems are eaten raw 
with bread or in salad; the pith is sometimes candied. The pith of 
young stems and the starchy roots of first-year plants can be fried in 
batter or used to thicken soup if every shred of the tough bitter bad-
smelling rind is peeled off and the pith boiled in two or more waters.

Burdock eaters compare it to celery and artichoke.