Common Burdock

Common Burdock

Arctium minus Bernh.

Asteraceae (Aster Family)

▲ seedlings

▲ ▼ first year rosettes

▲ bolting plant

▲ stem

▲ ▼ mature, flowering plant

▲ ▼ flowers and bur-like fruit (lower plant has almost white flowers)

▲ ▼ mature fruit on plants

Arctium minus Bernh., Common Burdock: (Bayer Code: ARFMI; US Code ARMI2)

Biennial weed that produces large, pubescent triangular leaves (12-24 inches long and almost equally as wide) in first year
Second year produces elongated stalk 2-6 feet tall with rounded to urn-shaped spiny-bracted flower heads with purple flowers
Found in pastures, roadsides, open woods, non-crop areas--can tolerate moderate shade
Not as common, similar woolly burdock has more spherical heads that are often darker purple/blackish in color, plus the spine-like bracts on the inflorescences are interwoven with cobweb-like hairs

(Updated January 19, 2019)