Edible Burdock (Arctium lappa var. sativa) seeds

The Edible Burdock is a cultivar of the Central European wild burdock (Arctium lappa). In contrast to the wild form, the roots of this variety are tender and not woody.

The long, turnip-like root of this undemanding plant is a popular vegetable in Japan. The young leaves are also often used in Asian cuisine. In Europe, in former days, the burdock root was cultivated very often as it was also very important as a medicinal plant in folk medicine because of its anti-bacterial and wound healing promoting characteristics. In the middle ages, it had a similar significance to comfrey.