Arctium minus - Lesser Burdock
This prickly wildflower is
not in fact a member of the dock family; it belongs to the daisy family, Asteraceae.
Burdocks bloom from July until September, and they are generally found in shady places or
on waste ground. Typically, the plant grows to a metre, with flower heads between 15 mm
and 30 mm in diameter. The seed heads, or burs, have hooked bracts and become attached to
the fur of animals; in this way the seeds are distributed.
Another burdock that you will find in Wales and throughout the UK is the Greater
Burdock, Arctium lappa. It is very similar to lesser burdock, but has rounder
leaves and rounder, somewhat larger flowers: the flowers of greater burdock can be up to
40 mm in diameter.
Wildflowers of Wales
Dozen of beautiful wildflowers of heath and moorland, mountains and meadows
are featured in the First Nature Guide to the
Wonderful Wildflowers of Wales, Volume 3 - Mountains, Moorland and Meadows.
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