The Relocators: Let’s play a game of ‘what is it’

  |  August 6, 2013
Burdock

I’ve been eyeing this plant since early spring when it started poking it’s leaves up through the ground. It grows right next to our house and for the longest time it actually looked like a cabbage or something.

Then the warmer days hit and this sucker grew practically overnight. It is now at least 5 feet tall, and since it is covered with caterpillar “fuzz” (for lack of a better term) it has begun to look a bit like something straight out of the movie, Invasion of the Body Snatchers.

Burdock

So what is it?

Burdock Burdock

As it turns out, its not alien or even scary. Its actually great burdock. Some places I’ve seen call it common burdock. So it a medicinal plant. Kinda cool. Although I don’t think I would be willing to hack through all those fuzzy things on the leaves to harvest any of its medicinal value, I’ll leave the burdock/alien bush alone to continue to grow, and feed the caterpillars. :)

BTW, if you’re struggling to identify a wild flower in your yard, this is a great site.

Link to the Discover Life Wildflower Identification Guide for Arctium Lappa.

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