Arctium lappa, commonly known as Greater Burdock or Edible Burdock, is a biennial herb native to temperate regions of Eurasia. It thrives in a variety of habitats including disturbed areas, edges of forests, roadsides, and grasslands, often where the soil is rich in nitrogen. This plant can reach up to 10 feet in height and is characterized by its large, heart-shaped leaves and stout, grooved stems. From July to September, it produces globular clusters of purple flowers, which are quite showy and are followed by burrs with hooked bracts that facilitate seed dispersal by clinging to animals and clothing.

Greater Burdock is valued for its deep taproot which is harvested for use in traditional medicine and as a vegetable, particularly in Asian cuisine. The root is crisp and has a sweet, mild, and pungent flavor, making it a popular ingredient in dishes such as kinpira gobo and burdock makizushi. In cultivation, it requires full sun to part shade, and well-drained soil with high organic content. While it is a useful plant, it is also known to be potentially invasive outside its native range, and gardeners should be cautious about its aggressive seed dispersal. It is not typically grown ornamentally but may be found in herb gardens or grown for its edible root.CC BY-SA 4.0