Woolly burdock
Arctium tomentosum
Family: Asteraceae
What it is like
A robust herb. It grows 60 cm to 1.2 m tall. It takes 2 years to complete its life-cycle. The leaves are greyish white underneath. The leaves are heart shaped and 25-50 cm long by 10-30 cm wide. There are some teeth along the edge. The flower heads are cobwebby.
Where it is found
It is a temperate plant. It grows in disturbed sites across southern Canada. In western China it grows in grasslands between 1,200-2,100 m above sea level.
Countries/locations it is found in
Armenia, Asia, Belarus, Canada, Caucasus, Central Asia, China, Estonia, Europe, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Luxembourg, North America, Poland, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkey, Türkiye, Uzbekistan, USA
How it is used for food
The young leaves are used in salads and also cooked as a potherb. The young stalks and peeled and used in soup. Young roots are used in salads and soups.
Edible parts
Leaves, stalks, roots
How it is grown
Its other names
Local names
Kobruleht, Kratuk, Lopian, Takjas