Burdock (Arctium lappa)
Burdock is a part of the Asteraceae (daisy) family. It is a biennial plant with large soft, light green leaves and thistle-like red-purple flowers that form burrs with hooked spines. It can reach heights of 6-8 feet tall. It is nicknamed the “Velcro plant” because one day when Swiss inventor, George de Mestral was walking his dog and noticed that after he and his dog had brushed by a large burdock, the plant’s “hooks” had tagged onto loops in his wool trousers and in the dog’s fur. Using the technique of biomimicry, De Mestral made two nylon pads, one of hooks and one of loops; the more you pushed them, the more they fused, and yet they were easily pulled apart; just like the plant’s fruits do in nature. NASA later, used his idea to create many useful products for the space program and Velcro is common place in most households today.
The roots of the burdock are a very popular food in Japan and several other countries and are used medicinally here in the United States.
It likes to grow in hedgerows, wood edges and waste ground. The roots are very long sometimes over 3 feet in length and can be difficult to dig up at times but are well worth the effort. The leaves and the roots are both used.
“Burdock is a ‘deep food’ and alterative that moves the body to a state of well-nourished health, promotes the healing of wounds, and removes the indicators of system imbalance such as low energy, ulcers, skin conditions, and dandruff” – Green (2000).
Burdock is a significant detoxing herb. Crooked House Herbals sells a Burdock Tincture and uses burdock in several products such as Restore, Clean Blood Tea, Somebody Help Me! Anti-inflammatory cream, The Soother. It’s known as a blood purifier as it stimulates the release waste products from the cells. This is a powerful process at the cellular level, you then need to remove the wastes from the body. Dandelion tea is a perfect compliment to this process as it is a natural diuretic and will help remove the toxins.
This is one reason Burdock is such a wonderful skin cleanser. It returns the system to balance and in turn improves skin conditions, from oily and scaly to acne, boils, eczema, and psoriasis.
Burdock also helps restore and maintain balance of both water and fats in the body. Modern research is showing that burdock benefits conditions such as cancer and HIV. It strongly supports the immune system. The root will break down excess uric acid in the joints that leads to gout. It also relieves arthritis and swollen prostate.
Burdock is bitter which helps stimulate the digestive fluids and promote appetite and digestion.
The leaves can be used for poultices for bruises, boils, acne, rheumatism, arthritis and gout.
The root can be used for acne, eczema, boils, psoriasis, detoxing
I hope this information inspires you to take a closer look at Burdock and introduce it into your wellness regimen. You may obtain the tincture from www.crookedhouseherbals.com/shop. Please feel free to contact us with any further questions you may have concerning this or any other herb at info[at]crookedhouseherbals[dot]com.
Many Blessings,
Wendy