Beggar’s-buttons (Arctium lappa, Sp. pl. 2:816. 1753)

Family: Asteraceae

Author: L.

Bibliography: Sp. pl. 2:816. 1753

Year: 1753

Status: accepted

Rank: species

Genus: Arctium

Vegetable: True

Observations: Temp. Eurasia

Description

Beggar’s-buttons, known scientifically as Arctium lappa, is a notable member of the Asteraceae family. This fascinating plant, native to temperate regions of Eurasia, has garnered attention for both its unique characteristics and its historical significance.

Beggar’s-buttons typically features large, heart-shaped leaves and produces purple, thistle-like flower heads that bloom primarily during the summer months. These flower heads are particularly intriguing due to their bristly burs, which have a natural tendency to cling to fur and clothing. This trait is not just a botanical curiosity but also a method of seed dispersal, aiding in the plant’s propagation across various regions.

Historically, the plant’s utility extends beyond its natural dispersal methods. Arctium lappa has been documented in the scientific literature as far back as 1753, an attestation to its long-standing recognition and the contributions of renowned botanist Carl Linnaeus, who authored the species in “Sp. pl. 2:816.”

In addition to its place in botanical history, Beggar’s-buttons has been utilized in traditional medicine, particularly in various Eurasian cultures. The plant’s roots are highly valued for their purported health benefits, which include detoxifying the body, aiding in digestion, and providing relief from certain skin conditions.

Its broad adaptability allows Beggar’s-buttons to thrive in a variety of habitats, making it a common sight in meadows, roadsides, and other disturbed grounds. The plant’s robust nature and effectiveness in propagation contribute to its sometimes invasive character, a testament to its resilience and ecological success.

In summary, Arctium lappa, or Beggar’s-buttons, is a plant of considerable botanical and cultural importance. Its distinctive morphology, historical literary documentation, and practical uses in traditional medicine highlight its multifaceted significance within the realm of natural science and human society.

Common Names

Dan: almindelig fuglegræs, glat burre, græsbladet fladstjerne
Eng: beggar’s-buttons, burdock, edible burdock, gobo, great burdock, greater burdock, greater burrdock, lappa, woodland burdock, cuckold, harlock
Swe: benved, grässtjärnblomma, våtarv, stor kardborre, storkardborre
Isl: grasarfi, haugarfi
Nor: grasstjerneblom, spolebusk, vassarve
Deu: grosse klette, große klette, eßbare klettenwurzel, japanische klettenwurzel
Fin: heinätähtimö, pihatähtimö, sorvarinpensas
Spa: bardana, gobó, lampazo, lampazo mayor, lampazo-mayor, lapa
Por: bardana, bardana-maior, gobô, labaça, orelha-de-gigante, pega-pega
Fra: bardane, bardane comestible, glouteron, grande bardane, oreille de géant, artichaut, bardane majeure
Ind: gobo
Nld: grote klit
Ces: lopuch větší
Cym: baw mwci, cacamwci, cedor y wrach, cedowrach, cedowrach mwyaf, ciog, cribau’r bleiddiau, cyngaf, cyngaf mawr, cyngaw mwyaf, ffrwyth beiliaid
En: Beggar’s-buttons, Burdock, Greater burdock, Lappa, Great burdock, Edible burdock, GREATER BURRDOCK, Gobo, Woodland burdock, Cuckold, Harlock, Beggar’s Buttons, Cockle Buttons, Fox’s-clote, Thorny Bur, European Burdock, Woodland burrdock
Ab: Адәыӡгәыр
Af: Klitskruid
Ar: قرطب أكبر
Hy: Կռատուկ
Az: İri atpıtrağı
Ba: Тегәнәк
Eu: Lapa-belar
Be: Лопух вялікі
Bs: Čičak
Bg: Обикновен репей
Ca: Repalassa
Zh: Niu bang, 牛蒡
Cv: Хупах
Kw: Tavol amanyn
Hr: Čičak
Cs: Lopuch větší
Da: Glat Burre, Almindelig Fuglegræs, Græsbladet Fladstjerne
Nl: Grote klit
Eo: Lapo
Et: Suur takjas
Fi: Isotakiainen, Heinätähtimö, Pihatähtimö, Sorvarinpensas
Fr: Bardane comestible, Grande bardane, Glouteron, Oreille de géant, Bardane, Artichaut, Bardane majeure, Graquias, Rapace, Rhubarbe sauvage, Toques, Bardane commune, Bardane officinale, Chou d’âne, Copeau, Grippe, Herbe au teigneux, Herbe aux pouilleux, Herbe aux seigneurs, Napolier, Oreille-de-géant, Bardane des bois
De: Eßbare Klettenwurzel, Japanische Klettenwurzel, Große Klette, Grosse Klette, Klattendistelwurzel, Kleberwurzel
Hu: Közönséges bojtorján
Is: Grasarfi, Haugarfi
Id: Gobo
Ga: Cnádán mór
It: Bardana maggiore, Lappa bardana, Lappola
Ja: Gobō
Kk: Әректікен
Ky: Ит уйгак
Ko: Ueong, 우엉
Lt: Didžioji varnalėša
Gv: Bollan dhoa
No: Storborre, Grasstjerneblom, Spolebusk, Vassarve
Os: Æрцыхъæд
Fa: گوبو
Pl: Łopian, Łopian większy
Pt: Bardana-maior, Bardana, Gobô, Labaça, Orelha-de-gigante, Pega-pega
Ro: Brusture
Ru: Лопух большой
Sr: Велики чичак
Sk: Lopúch väčší
Es: Bardana, Lapa, Lampazo mayor, Gobó, Lampazo, Lampazo-mayor
Sv: Stor kardborre, Benved, Grässtjärnblomma, Våtarv, Storkardborre
Zh-tw: 牛蒡
Uk: Лопух справжній
Wa: Plake-madame
Cy: Cyngaf mawr, Baw Mwci, Cacamwci, Cedor y Wrach, Cedowrach, Cedowrach Mwyaf, Ciog, Cribau’r Bleiddiau, Cyngaf, Cyngaw Mwyaf, Ffrwyth Beiliaid

Synonyms

• Lappa major (Gaertn.)
• Arctium lappa subsp. majus (Arènes)
• Lappa bardana var. major (Čelak.)
• Lappa communis var. major (Coss.)
• Arctium majus (Bernh.)
• Arctium lappa var. majus (Gaertn. ex Fiori)
• Lappa arctium (Hill)
• Lappa officinalis (All.)
• Lappa communis (Coss.)
• Lappa bardana (Moench)
• Lappa lappa ((L.) H.Karst.)

Distribution

• Afghanistan (native)
• Albania (native)
• Altay (native)
• Austria (native)
• Baleares (native)
• Baltic States (native)
• Belarus (native)
• Belgium (native)
• Bulgaria (native)
• Cambodia (native)
• Central European Rus (native)
• China North-Central (native)
• China South-Central (native)
• China Southeast (native)
• Corse (native)
• Cyprus (native)
• Czechoslovakia (native)
• Denmark (native)
• East Aegean Is. (native)
• East European Russia (native)
• East Himalaya (native)
• Finland (native)
• France (native)
• Føroyar (native)
• Germany (native)
• Greece (native)
• Greenland (native)
• Hainan (native)
• Hungary (native)
• Iceland (native)
• Inner Mongolia (native)
• Iran (native)
• Iraq (native)
• Italy (native)
• Japan (native)
• Kazakhstan (native)
• Kirgizstan (native)
• Korea (native)
• Krasnoyarsk (native)
• Kriti (native)
• Krym (native)
• Laos (native)
• Lebanon-Syria (native)
• Malaya (native)
• Manchuria (native)
• Myanmar (native)
• Nepal (native)
• Netherlands (native)
• North Caucasus (native)
• North European Russi (native)
• Northwest European R (native)
• Norway (native)
• Pakistan (native)
• Palestine (native)
• Poland (native)
• Portugal (native)
• Qinghai (native)
• Romania (native)
• Sardegna (native)
• Sicilia (native)
• Sinai (native)
• South European Russi (native)
• Spain (native)
• Svalbard (native)
• Sweden (native)
• Switzerland (native)
• Tadzhikistan (native)
• Taiwan (native)
• Tibet (native)
• Transcaucasus (native)
• Turkey (native)
• Turkey-in-Europe (native)
• Turkmenistan (native)
• Ukraine (native)
• Uzbekistan (native)
• Vietnam (native)
• West Himalaya (native)
• West Siberia (native)
• Xinjiang (native)
• Yugoslavia (native)
• Alabama (introduced)
• Alberta (introduced)
• Amur (introduced)
• Arizona (introduced)
• British Columbia (introduced)
• California (introduced)
• Colorado (introduced)
• Connecticut (introduced)
• Delaware (introduced)
• Georgia (introduced)
• Great Britain (introduced)
• Idaho (introduced)
• Illinois (introduced)
• Indiana (introduced)
• Iowa (introduced)
• Ireland (introduced)
• Khabarovsk (introduced)
• Kuril Is. (introduced)
• Maine (introduced)
• Manitoba (introduced)
• Maryland (introduced)
• Masachusettes (introduced)
• Michigan (introduced)
• Minnesota (introduced)
• Montana (introduced)
• Nevada (introduced)
• New Brunswick (introduced)
• New Hampshire (introduced)
• New Jersey (introduced)
• New South Wales (introduced)
• New York (introduced)
• New Zealand North (introduced)
• New Zealand South (introduced)
• North Carolina (introduced)
• North Dakota (introduced)
• Ohio (introduced)
• Ontario (introduced)
• Oregon (introduced)
• Pennsylvania (introduced)
• Primorye (introduced)
• Québec (introduced)
• Rhode I. (introduced)
• Sakhalin (introduced)
• Saskatchewan (introduced)
• South Carolina (introduced)
• South Dakota (introduced)
• Utah (introduced)
• Vermont (introduced)
• Victoria (introduced)
• Virginia (introduced)
• Washington (introduced)
• West Virginia (introduced)
• Wisconsin (introduced)
• Wyoming (introduced)

Additional Images

Flower

Taken Aug 11, 2017 by jose (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 27, 2018 by Manu Pacha (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 28, 2019 by selber pflanzen (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Taken Sep 4, 2017 by 1 (cc-by-sa)

Fruit

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 8, 2017 by Creu Lopez (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 25, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 25, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Taken Nov 25, 2017 by Pep Secem (cc-by-sa)

Leaf

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 6, 2021 by joseph charpentier (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by England Bill (cc-by-sa)

Taken Oct 12, 2017 by Carolin Schmidt – Habimana (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 19, 2018 by Jean-Louis SCHMITT (cc-by-sa)

Habit

Taken Jul 17, 2021 by Jani Zadrgal (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 14, 2021 by David Hocken (cc-by-sa)

Taken Aug 28, 2018 by Llandrich anna (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 17, 2022 by Andrzej Konstantynowicz (cc-by-sa)

Bark

Taken Apr 21, 2020 by Ninok (cc-by-sa)

Taken Dec 4, 2021 by Ha Anna (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 10, 2021 by Kelsey C. (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 6, 2022 by Gaël Covain (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jan 1, 1900 by EOL − Encyclopedia of Life (cc-by-nc-sa)

Other

Taken May 16, 2022 by yvon s (cc-by-sa)

Taken May 8, 2021 by Oosaagi (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 8, 2022 by Kai Best (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jun 18, 2021 by virginie boubee (cc-by-sa)

Taken Jul 20, 2021 by Plant_Anne (cc-by-sa)

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

© copyright of the Board of Trustees of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew.

Sources

• WFO (No URL)
• IPNI (No URL)
• GBIF (https://www.gbif.org/species/7353729)
• POWO (http://powo.science.kew.org/taxon/urn:lsid:ipni.org:names:178385-1)
• PlantNet (https://identify.plantnet.org/species/the-plant-list/Arctium lappa L.)

Specifications

Growth habit: Forb/herb

Growth

Sowing: Direct seed, thin seedlings to 8cm

Row spacing: {‘cm’: 5}

Ph maximum: 7.5

Ph minimum: 7.0

Light: 8

Atmospheric humidity: 5

Bloom months: [‘jul’, ‘aug’]

Soil nutriments: 9