SEEDS AVAILABLE:
- Sow 1 week before frost or direct sow
- Easy warm germinator
- 7-10 days to germination
- 100 seeds
PLANT PROFILE:
Zone: 3-8 Perennial (but grow as an Annual)
Height: 180 - 240cm [6 - 8 ft]
Spread: 45 - 90cm [1.5 - 3 ft]
Foliage: As a perennial, Arctium will form a basal rosette the first season, and a flower spike the second year. Large leaves are medium green in colour and coarse textured.
Flower: Clusters of lavender thistle-flowers terminate each branch. Unless you wish to collect seed, cut down before they disperse (as "hitch-hikers") and become a weed problem.
Soil: Average to poor, with excellent drainage; can tolerate drought. Deep, sandy soil encourages large, long taproots.
Garden site: Best in controlled space with deep, sandy soil, so edible roots are easy to harvest at the end of the first year (will become woody if left into second year).
Arctium lappa 'Shosaku' (Gobo/Burdock)
Gobo/Burdock is an important medicinal herb in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. In general, its dried roots are used to detoxify, but most parts of this plant have medicinal properties. The fresh root is edible, considered delicious roasted or stewed. Roots are best harvested in the fall of year 1, before plants develop their tall stalks and flowers.
Common burdock (which is the same plant botanically, but is weedier than the cultivar 'Shosaku') can be an invasive nuisance that spreads easily from seeds, so dead-head before it goes to seed, or manage the seed heads responsibly. Seed heads are "hitch-hikers" that attach themselves easily to dogs, horses, garden gloves, coats, etc.
