Greater Burdock
Arctium lappa
- Native to:
- Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Cambodia, China, Corse, Cyprus, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, East Aegean Is., Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Greenland, Hainan, Hungary, Iceland, India, Iran, Iraq, Italy, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kirgizstan, Korea, Kriti, Krym, Laos, Lebanon-Syria, Malaya, Myanmar, Nepal, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Pakistan, Palestine, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sardegna, Sicilia, Sinai, Spain, Svalbard, Sweden, Switzerland, Tadzhikistan, Taiwan, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Türkiye-in-Europe, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Vietnam
Roger Culos
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Arctium
- Species:
- Arctium lappa
- USDA Symbol:
- ARLA3
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Biennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 180 cm
- Light Requirements:
- Full Sun
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- jul,aug,sep
- Bloom Colors:
- purple, pink
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Brick-lined borer (Papaipema marginidens), Brown-tail moth (Euproctis chrysorrhoea), Burdock Borer (Papaipema cataphracta), burdock seedhead moth (Metzneria lappella), Celery Looper (Anagrapha falcifera), Common Looper Moth (Autographa precationis), grand spiramater moth (Spiramater grandis), Grey arches (Polia nebulosa), Harris's Dagger Moth (Papaipema harrisii), ironweed borer moth (Papaipema cerussata), Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), mayapple borer (Papaipema rutila), Northern Burdock Borer (Papaipema arctivorens), ⚠️Papaipema necopina (Papaipema necopina), Rigid Borer Moth (Papaipema rigida), silphius borer moth (Papaipema silphii), sparganothis fruitworm moth (Sparganothis sulfureana), Spotted Apatelodes (Apatelodes torrefacta), stalk borer moth (Papaipema nebris), Tarachidia candefacta, Tarachidia erastrioides, underworld dart (Agrotis subterranea), vernonia borer (Papaipema limpida), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Bombus Latreille, Confusing bumble (Bombus perplexus)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- birds, butterflies, small mammals
- Deer Resistant:
- Yes
Soil Requirements
- Soil Type:
- rich, well-drained loamy soil
- pH:
- 6.0 - 7.5 (slightly acidic to neutral)
- Drainage:
- good drainage preferred
- Moisture:
- consistently moist
- Notes:
- thrives in nutrient-rich environments
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- Cold/moist stratification required — 30–60 days
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily with cold stratification. Light not required for germination. Best sown fresh in fall or stratified over winter.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI