Herb of the Week: Burdock

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Burdock, or Arctium lappa, is a plant ruled by Venus, and it corresponds with Friday. Ruled by Elemental Water, Burdock’s power is To Dare and its direction is West. Other names for Burdock include Clodbur, Great Burdock, and Loppy-major, and it has a feminine or receptive energetic effect. Deities associated with Burdock are the angel Anael, and the Olympic Spirit, Hagith.

I use burdock in an arthritis formula and also in skin salves and liniments. I harvested the seeds for the first time this year and I can tell you honestly that the small fluffy hairs inside the burrs can get into your fingers if you’re not careful and cause irritation. When harvesting the burrs, wear hair protection or the burrs can and will attach to your hair and work their way into your scalp. They attach to your clothing as well and leave behind small hairs on your clothing even after pulling off the burrs. Keep your pets away from the area while harvesting (or even growing) so they don’t work their way into their skin. If you leave the burrs on the plants and don’t harvest the root for some reason, they’ll drop to the ground and self-seed for the following year.

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Magickal uses:

• protection
• cleansing
• defense
• psychic ability
• rebirth
• healing

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Medicinal qualities and purposes:

The roots, seeds, and leaves of Burdock are used. The root, with its bitter constituents, acts as a liver alterative and a diuretic. The seeds are prolific and are found inside the burrs and are ready for harvest when the burrs turn brown. They act as a diuretic, tonic, diaphoretic, and nutritive. Burdock root is helpful with skin and urinary conditions, as a blood tonic, and with rheumatic conditions.

Preparation:

• Crushed seeds – standard infusion
• Root – strong decoction, tincture, liniment, or poultice, can also be stir-fried or sauteed after removing the outer bark.
• Leaves – poultice

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References

Erickson, Jan. Herbal Magicka. 2021

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Disclaimer:

The information above is for educational purposes only and is not intended to diagnose any condition or prescribe any treatment. Please consult your medical/herbal professional for further advice regarding the use of herbs, particularly if you’re already taking prescribed medications to avoid any unnecessary or harmful interactions. Please seek treatment from a medical professional should symptoms occur that do not quickly resolve on their own. If you’re pregnant or planning to become pregnant, please consult your medical/herbal professional before using any herbs.