Some weeds attract more anger than others. Burdock is disparaged by dog owners, most farmers and many gardeners. The root is long and difficult to fully remove. The leaves are huge. It reseeds itself readily and easily. And the burrs that are produced the second year are a terrible mess in fur, hair, on clothing, and anywhere else they stick.

Yet this is an incredibly versatile, valuable plant. I welcome it in my yard - up to a point. Most recently I’ve been pulling the first year plants out of my newly built raised beds. The soil is so light in my new garden that I can actually pull it out by the root, a very rare treat, as the roots usually require careful and deep digging for a foot or more.

Once extracted, the roots are tasty raw or can be stir fried, baked or steamed. I’ve eaten them as part of an egg dish, with greens added, with tempeh or tofu, or even baked with other seasonal veggies and potatoes. The taste is crunchy, earthy, a little sweet, and dark.

One of my favorite ways to use a lot of burdock is to add it to a kim chi recipe. The sweet goes well with hot, the texture holds up as the vegetables melt a bit with brining.

But I’ve gotten ahead of myself. What is burdock?

Arctium lappa is a biennial, meaning it lives for two years only. It grows in a low rosette the first year, and in the second year focuses all of its energy on wide-ranging flowering stalks. The leaves range from medium to huge, with a slight resemblance to rhubarb and skunk cabbage and an even more distant similarity to prairie dock. It grows well in hard, clay, compacted soil. I have tended to find it on the sides of fields, against my foundation, and in the paths of my gardens.

The root is a long tap root, smaller in the first year, which is still useful the spring of the second year. But after that it is woody and not good for much at all. The root can be anywhere from a few inches to even two feet in length, and more than an inch in diameter. For eating the first-year roots - as they grow from pencil size to thumb size - are the best.

The root is used in Japanese cooking, called gobo, as well as prized in biodynamic recipes. Use it like you might a carrot; it has similar versatility as far as being tasty raw or cooked. Grated, chopped or sliced, it is pleasant however you like it.

Some references suggest eating the leaves and peeled stalks as well, but I very much dislike the taste. Yet there are those huge wonderful leaves. What are they good for? It took me years to discover the value of burdock’s leaves for healing large scrapes and rashes. The mashed leaf is applied directly to the cleaned wound, for 20 minutes at a time, and it speeds the healing. So much so that it is very important that the wound be clean. Trapped bacteria can cause infection. Soap and water, a wash with goldenseal (the only purpose for which I suggest using goldenseal), or using another antiseptic wash are advised before using the burdock leaf poultice.

The leaf is also great for relief from the pain of both chemical burns and scalds. I’ve had numerous occasions to test this, from simple burns to touching mucous membranes after handling hot peppers. Whether it is your ears, nose, mouth, or other areas, a bit of ground up or juiced leaf can bring immediate relief. I make it into an oil, salve or tincture, and have found it effective in those forms as well and convenient in the winter. Of course a more serious burn requires medical attention, but the milder injuries respond well to burdock leaf.

The root has many medicinal uses. It is one of the ingredients in Essiac Tea, used to reduce cancerous tumors. There are promising studies on its effectiveness for slow growing tumors. While the recipes vary, it is traditionally combined and prepared with Turkey Rhubarb Root, Slippery Elm Root and Sheep Sorrel in specific ratio. It also can be helpful for skin problems such as psoriasis and eczema, but it takes a long time to work, and even then it works slowly. Usually the tincture is made and used internally for that purpose, but an external salve can also be helpful.

Burdock root contains high levels of inulin, similar to chickory and dandelion. Inulin has been shown to increase calcium absorption for girls, a fabulous side effect. The results were promising enough that Stonyfield Farms yogurt company started adding it to its yogurt as a matter of course.

Burdock has many other uses and benefits. When I went outside today to take some photos of the flowers, they were loaded with at least 6 species of bees, including my own honeybees. I’ll take down most of my flowering stalks before they go to seed to control next year’s crop, but not until the bees have had their fill.

George de Mestral is credited with inventing Velcro, based on his observations of burdock’s burrs. For that alone, we should be appreciative of this plant.

Linda Diane Feldt is a local Holistic Health Practitioner, writer, and teacher. She has been teaching herbology and foraging for almost 30 years. Her next free class on herbs will be from 7-8:30 July 22 at Crazy Wisdom Bookstore sponsored by the People’s Food Co-op. The topic is teaching children about wildcrafting and foraging. It will be held in the midst of the art fair, so you can take a break and enjoy the air conditioned space and a change of pace! If you park over by the Co-op you should be able to walk the few blocks to Crazy Wisdom. Follow Linda Diane on twitter, or visit her web site, she can be reached at ldfeldt(at)holisticwisdom.org