Burdock Harvest

Many plants used for medicinal purposes are familiar to us based on their less desirable qualities and burdock in included in this group.

Burdock emerging from the ground in early spring.

Burdock biggest claim to fame is its ability to cleanse the blood.  It has a special affinity for the skin and is often prescribed for cases of acne, psoriasis and other skin conditions.  

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Red clover buds are a companion herb that improves urine production and blood circulation.  Yellow dock and dandelion root are also recommended in combination with burdock for their diuretic effects.  Basically, burdock removes toxins from the blood and red clover, yellow dock and dandelion root support the organ systems that remove these toxins from the body.  

Burdock is also useful for gout as it helps the body remove uric acid from the joints.  Burdock root is one of the four herbs in the cancer fighting Essiac formula.   Herbs have so many uses that I can only touch on a few in this post, so please do your own research to discover their many applications.

If you have ever walked through the woods and had "cockle burs" stuck all over your clothing (or spent hours removing burs from your dog's coat), you have been introduced to burdock!  Burdock is a biannual plant (meaning it grows for two seasons and then dies) that produces very large rhubarb like leaves during its first growing season.  While the leaves are growing up and out the root is burrowing deep into the ground, putting out side shoots to keep it firmly anchored in the ground.

The second year a stalk grows up the center of the rosettes of leaves and flowers form.  The flowers turn into velcro- like round spheres that attach to clothing and fur.  Nestled in the middle of each pin cushion shaped ball is a group of seeds that travel along and get "planted" when the burs are removed.

Many parts of the burdock plant have medicinal applications including the seeds, leaves, and the root of first year plants.  Some cultures eat the root which is referred to as "gobo".  The young stalk can also be used for food.

Dried burdock "flowers".

Using the root for medicinal or food purposes requires precise timing as the energies of the plant move down into the root at the end of its first season and then return to the top growth the following spring to create the seeds.  If you did not get a chance to harvest burdock root after a hard frost in the fall, early spring is your next opportunity.

This spring I had a bumper crop of burdock which had taken over the garden area on top of our root cellar.  We had brought in finished compost and planned to use this new area as an herb garden.  Although burdock is a very useful plant I prefer that it grow in the woods far away from my pant legs and furry pets!

The first step is to find a sharp spade shovel and a block of time to devote to your burdock harvest.  The carrot shaped tap root is anchored securely with small roots that grow along the tap root. You must dig all the way around the plant to loosen the root up enough to pull them out.  

Once you have them out of the ground the next step is to remove the dirt. Some herbalist suggest that you just brush off the dirt to preserve all the oils on the outside of the root.  But mine were just too dirty and I had to give them a rinse with water before I could proceed with the tincture making and drying.

Fresh burdock root whole and cut into pieces.

I like to preserve the medicinal properties of burdock root by making a tincture. I use 100 proof vodka as the solvent for most of my tinctures because it is 50% water and 50% alcohol.  This combination of half water and half alcohol effectively absorbs both the water and alcohol soluble constituents for the maximum medicinal strength.  The alcohol preserves the active ingredients allowing you to store the tincture and reap its benefits for many years.

To make a tincture;  

• Put the cut up root with vodka in a blender.  I like to fill the jar I plan to use with roots and vodka so I know how much to blend up.  Some herbalists use exact measurements of root and solvent, but I just fill the jar about 3/4 full of root and add vodka to the top of the jar.

• Pulse a few times until the root is in small pieces.  The more exposed surface space on the root the more constituents the solvent will absorb. You don't want it completely smooth as that would make it difficult to strain.

Pulse just a few times to break the root into small pieces.

• Pour the blended root back into the jar you used to measure the roots and vodka and add more vodka until the liquid is all the way to the top of the jar.

• Screw on a lid and label the jar with the name of the plant, solvent used and today's date.

Fill the jar all the way up to the very top, cover and label.

• Let your tincture sit out of the sun for at least six weeks.  You can shake the jar on a daily basis to aid the absorption process.

• Strain the marc (left over plant material)  out of the liquid using a nylon jelly bag and compost the root material. 

•  Pour the finished tincture into an amber colored bottle (or a dropper bottle for immediate use) seal and store in a cool dark space.  In time you may want to create your own apothecary.

Another way to preserve roots is to cut them into pieces and allow them to dry. If you live in a humid climate you can dry them in a dehydrator at the lowest setting.  Then store in a sealed canning jar (a food saver with a jar attachment works great) in a cool, dark place. 

Dried herbs should always be protected from sun exposure and moisture as they will deteriorate the plant material.

 Properly stored dried roots will stay potent for about two years.  You can used the dried roots to make medicinal teas or to create your own Essaic cancer fighting formula.  Dried roots can also be ground and used in capsule form.

Roots will shrink as they dry.

So the next time you are removing burs and cursing burdock, remember all the health benefits the plant has to offer and try to smile.  Happy harvesting!

Please note: The objective of this blog is to raise awareness of alternative ways to achieve wellness and to empower you to take an active role in your health decisions.  To accomplish this, you will need to explore these subjects in greater depth and then determine what makes sense for your life.  My hope is that this information will inspire you to start your own search into ways to make your life happier, healthier and more fulfilling.