Burdock - Arctium minus - Arctium lappa

Burdock at edge of arboretum woods on Arbor Drive on July 10, 2022.

Above: Burdock at edge of arboretum woods on Arbor Drive. (7/10/22).

Common Burdock - Arctium minus (Introduced - naturalized; ecologically invasive)

Common Burdock is a weedy, biennial wildflower belonging to the Aster family. It has light pink/lavendar to deep violet "thistle-like" flower heads clustered at the tips of branches. Flowers are 1/2" to 3/4" wide.

Common Burdock likes full or partial sun and grows from 1 1/2 - 5 feet tall in disturbed area like roadsides, ditch banks, stream banks, old fields and other waste places. It is considered invasive in Wisconsin and should be eradicated!

Above: Common Burdock stem and leaves at edge of arboretum woods on Arbor Drive on July 10, 2022.

Blooms: July - Oct.

Other names include: Common burdock, Lesser burdock, Little burdock, Louse-bur.

Greater Burdock - Arctium lappa (Introduced - locally established)

Greater Burdock is a weedy, biennial wildflower belonging to the Aster family. It has light pink/lavendar to deep violet "thistle-like" flowerheads clustered at the tips of branches. Flowers are up 1 1/2" wide.

Greater Burdock grows from 3 - 9 feet tall in disturbed area like roadsides, ditch banks, stream banks, old fields and other waste places. It is less widespread than Common Burdock in Wisconsin.

Blooms: Aug - Oct.

Other names include: Great Burdock, Edible burdock.

Above: Burdock leaf along Bike Path between Odana Road and Midvale Blvd on July 19, 2022. This could be a Greater Burdock leaf but the flowers are more like Common Burdock. Common Burdock basel leaves are broadly heart-shaped with rounded tips and have long hollow stalks, wavy edges. They can be up to 2 feet long and over a foot wide. At a glance, Burdock leaves resemble rhubarb; however, rhubarb leaves are glossy, while burdock leaves are matte and somewhat fuzzy on the underside.

Burdock
by Scottish author, Elizabeth Gordon

Burdock and his family,

With the gardener don't agree;

But Burdock says if he's your friend,

He'll stick to you until the end.

For more information on Common Burdock (Arctium minus), visit Wikipedia.

For more information on Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa), visit Wikipedia.

Or, visit the UW-Madison Wisconsin State Herbarium website page about Common Burdock.

Or, visit the UW-Madison Wisconsin State Herbarium website page about Greater Burdock.

Or, download the USDA Forest Service "Weed of the Week" website page about Common Burdock.