Our first adventures in preparing burdock weren’t quite as “chippy” as we were hoping… This recipe would make a nice addition to trail mix or perhaps be well received on top of a salad.  

Ingredients

• Lesser burdock roots, washed, peeled, and sliced thin
• Vegetable oil
• Popcorn salt

Unpeeled burdock root

Burdock root, peeled

Directions

1. Soak burdock in water 15-30 minutes
2. Meanwhile, heat 1/2″ to 1″ vegetable oil over medium heat in a pot
3. Remove burdock from water and blot dry
4. Carefully add burdock to oil- burdock should immediately bubble intensely
5. Fry burdock 5 minutes
6. Carefully remove burdock from oil, add salt generously, and allow to cool
7. Enjoy!

Invasivores Andy and Matt take a perfect spring afternoon to collect burdock, Chinese mystery Snails, and garlic mustard.

A Subaru of edible invaders. Photo Credit: A. Deines

At the end of a long semester, the Invasivores needed some field work.  We are, above all, ecologists and there is no lab work for self respecting ecologists on this kind of day.  We couldn’t have asked for a better one to kick-start a summer of collecting edible invasive species.

First target: Phragmites

One of the first species we were able to collect last year was phragmities, a common perennial reed in wetlands.  Munching dandelion heads, we came several weeks later this year than last and with the much earlier spring, the forest underbrush was thick.  Stinging nettles turned us back to the path.

Target two: burdock

Chaco’d feet and short-bared legs stinging, we looped back and spotted the large leaves of burdock tucked at the margin of the grass and trees.  Success! We knelt and with gentle probing, large portions of the starchy tap-root revealed themselves.  Roots and comical leaves like elephant ears in tow, the sun and sweat propelled us toward the lake.

Target three: Chinese Mystery Snails

Kayakers and bass boats floating nearby, we stepped down into Worster Lake.  The Chinese mystery snail was our first featured species at Invasivore, and we were excited to give them another go.  The shallow water was warm on bare feet and soothing on still stinging and nettled skin.  Though not at the extreme densities of many mystery snail invasions, we found a meal’s worth with only a few minutes of searching.  Success! Aquatic ecologists to the core, we turned some rocks to find a few crayfish, though we couldn’t positively identify whether they were invasive or native.  Another meal for another trip with a trap, perhaps.

 Target four: Garlic Mustard

What a love-hate relationship we have with garlic mustard. While my ecology students may never forget garlic mustard relish, my friends will never forgive me for garlic mustard ice cream.  Garlic mustard is ubiquitous this time of year in the midwest, so we thought for sure we would find a bundle.  It turns out that the park has an active program to remove garlic mustard and we found only a few plants.  Such a failure is truly a rare success!

Overall, it was quite a successful trip for these invasivores.  Keep an eye out for some recipes describing what we did with our delicious harvest!

Contrary to its name, lesser burdock is a whole lot of plant, reaching heights up to 6 feet tall and extending its invasive range across the United States and Canada. 

Lesser burdock (Arctium minus) is a large biennial plant, meaning that its life cycle takes two years.  In its first year, burdock grows in short rosettes close to the ground, and in its second year, burdock grows large (up to 2 feet long) stem leaves resembling elephant ears as well as characteristic pink or lavender thistles.  The plant flowers from mid-summer to early fall (great pics here).  Burdock gets its name from the fruits it produces which are burs covered in fine spines which promote dispersal by attaching to animal fur or human clothing.  Burs such as those found on burdock are so good at attaching to passing organisms that they were the inspiration for Velcro!

Lesser burdock photo courtesy of http://www.english-country-garden.com

Lesser burdock hails from Europe and was likely an accidental release in North America.  The propensity for burdock fruits to disperse quickly across the landscape as hitchhikers contributes to its invasive status.  Also, burdock is a nuisance to grazing livestock and other native animals, as the burs can irritate the eyes and digestive tract.

North American distribution of lesser burdock; States/Provinces with lesser burdock records indicated in green. Map courtesy of plants.usda.gov

Although the leaves of burdock are bitter, the starchy taproot is sweet and, when thinly sliced, makes a good addition to soups and stews.  Famed forager “Wildman” Steve Brill provides information on collecting and cooking burdock here, and we also recommend you check out this short instructional video from the Wildman on YouTube.