Arctium minus
| Arctium minus | |
| Light: |   |
| Moisture: |  |
| Hardiness: | 5 |
| Soil pH: | 5.6-8.4 |
| Self Pollinated | |
| Life Cycle: | Biennial |
| Height: | 3' |
| Blooms: | Mid Summer-Early Fall |
| Open Woods Forest | |
| Native to: | |
| Shelter | |
| Edible Rating: |  |
| Medicinal Rating: |  |
| Tea: | Yes |
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Arctium minus (common name: lesser burdock)
Propagation: Seed - best sown in situ in autumn.
Cultivation: Succeeds on most soils, preferably moist[1]. Prefers a sunny position. Prefers partial shade according to another report[1].
A polymorphic species[2].
A good butterfly plant[3].
Range: Most of Europe, including Britain, south and east to N. Africa and the Caucasus.
Habitat: Waste ground, edges of woods, roadsides etc[4][5].
Edibility: Root - raw or cooked[6][7]. The best roots are obtained from young plants[7]. Usually peeled and sliced[8].
The roasted root is a coffee substitute[8].
Young leaves and leaf stems - raw or cooked[7]. Used as a potherb[8]. Mucilaginous. It is best to remove the rind from the stem[7].
Young flowering stem - peeled and eaten raw or cooked like asparagus[9][8].
Seed sprouts[10]. No further details.
Medicinal: Burdock is one of the foremost detoxifying herbs in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine[11]. Arctium lappa is the main species used, though this species has similar properties[11]. The dried root of one year old plants is the official herb, but the leaves and fruits can also be used[12]. It is used to treat conditions caused by an 'overload' of toxins, such as throat and other infections, boils, rashes and other skin problems[11]. The root is thought to be particularly good at helping to eliminate heavy metals from the body[11].
The plant is antibacterial, antifungal and carminative[13][14][15][16][17]. 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[12][18]. It is used in the treatment of herpes, eczema, acne, impetigo, ringworm, boils, bites etc[18]. The plant can be taken internally as an infusion, or used externally as a wash[18]. Use with caution[16].
One-year old roots are alterative, aperient, blood purifier, cholagogue, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and stomachic[19][20].
The seed is alterative, antibacterial, antifungal, antiphlogistic, depurative, diaphoretic, diuretic and hypoglycaemic[17][19]. It is used in the treatment of colds with sore throat and cough, measles, pharyngitis, acute tonsillitis and abscesses[17]. The crushed seed is poulticed onto bruises[20]. The seed is harvested in the summer and dried for later use[11].
The seed contains arctiin, this excites the central nervous system producing convulsions an increase in respiration and later paralysis. It also lowers the blood pressure by dilating the blood vessels[17].
The leaves are poulticed onto burns, ulcers and sores[20].
Usage: A fibre is obtained from the inner bark and is used to make paper. It is about 0.9mm long[21]. The stems are harvested in late summer, the leaves are removed and the stems steamed in order to strip off the fibre. The fibres are then cooked for two hours in soda ash before being put in a ball mill for 2 hours[21]. The resulting paper is a light tan/ brown colour[21].
Pollinators: Bees, lepidoptera, self
Habit: Biennial
Soil: Can grow in light, medium, and heavy soils.
Drainage: Prefers well drained soil.
Seed Ripens: Early Fall-Mid Fall
Flower Type: Hermaphrodite
Known Hazards: Although no reports of toxicity have been seen for this plant, some caution is advised due to the following report for the closely related A. lappa[K]. Care should be taken if harvesting the seed in any quantity since tiny hairs from the seeds can be inha
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References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Huxley, Anthony. The New Royal Horticultural Society Dictionary of Gardening. MacMillan Press, 1992.
- ↑ Clapham, Arthur and Tom Tootin, Edmund Warburg. Flora of the British Isles. Cambridge University Press, 1962.
- ↑ Baines, Chris. Making a Wildlife Garden.
- ↑ Mabey, Richard. Food for Free. Collins, 1974.
- ↑ Triska, Jan. Encyclopaedia of Plants. Hamlyn, 1975.
- ↑ Elias, Thomas. A Field Guide to North American Edible Wild Plants. Van Nostrand Reinhold, 1982.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 7.3 Harrington, Harold. Edible Native Plants of the Rocky Mountains. University of New Mexico Press, 1967.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 8.3 Facciola, Stephen. Cornucopia - A Source Book of Edible Plants. Kampong Publications, 1990.
- ↑ Kunkel, Günther. Plants for Human Consumption. Koeltz Scientific Books, 1984.
- ↑ Harris, Ben. Eat the Weeds. Pivot Health, 1973.
- ↑ 11.0 11.1 11.2 11.3 11.4 Chevallier, Andrew. The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants. Dorling Kindersley, 1996.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Grieve, Margaret. A Modern Herbal. Penguin, 1984.
- ↑ Launert, Edmund. Edible and Medicinal Plants. Hamlyn, 1981.
- ↑ Lust, John. The Herb Book. Bantam Books, 1983.
- ↑ Revolutionary Health Committee of Hunan Province. A Barefoot Doctors Manual. Running Press.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 Mills, Simon. The Dictionary of Modern Herbalism.
- ↑ 17.0 17.1 17.2 17.3 Yeung, Him-Che. Handbook of Chinese Herbs and Formulas. Institute of Chinese Medicine, 1985.
- ↑ 18.0 18.1 18.2 Phillips, Roger. Herbs. Pan Books, 1990.
- ↑ 19.0 19.1 Duke, James and Edward Ayensu. Medicinal Plants of China. Reference Publications, 1985.
- ↑ 20.0 20.1 20.2 Foster, Steven and Billy Tatum. Medicinal Plants of Eastern and Central North America. Houghton Mifflin, 1990.
- ↑ 21.0 21.1 21.2 Bell, Lilian. Plant Fibres for Papermaking. Liliaceae Press, 1988.