The Great Burdock (Arctium lappa)

The Great Burdock (Arctium lappa) is an alien from Europe/Asia often referred to as “Gobo” in Asian cooking which refers to the root of this plant. Although considered by many to be a “nuisance” plant nothing could be further from truth. I’m always so happy when I find a nice stand of Burdock! The root is considered a blood purifier, liver cleanser, lymph cleanser, blood sugar balancer, and helpful for kidney ailments. Burdock is such a powerful cleansing herb it’s included in most detoxification blends. The leaves can be poulticed on bruises and made into a salve for skin issues such as psoriasis and eczema. The seeds of the second–year plant are diaphoretic when made into a tea. These are just a few of the things that make Burdock the amazing plant it is. Kinda makes you rethink whole “weed” thing huh?