In the past I’ve come across the cabbage-sized leaves of Greater or Lesser Burdock each spring and had a complete blank about what they are. It hasn’t helped that this is a biennial plant which grows just a leaf rosette the first year and then flowers the second year.

Next year is going to be different.  I’ve spent quite a lot of time with the Lesser (or Common) Burdock plants in the woods which today have gorgeous deep crimson flowers. I’m pretty sure these are Lesser rather than Greater because I can feel the hollow centre in the stems of the leaves at the base of the plant and the egg-shaped flowerheads are about 15mm across (rather than globe-shaped and 35-40mm across).

This time it’s going to stick!