After 5 years of battling this aggressive weed, I finally know what it is. Now - knowing it is biennial, getting rid of it will be relatively simple.

I know the root can be medicinal, but too late to harvest this year - they are all bolting.

Any use in keeping this ugly thing around?

Like would it attract pests off of veggies or something?

Any info welcome!

Actually, Burdock Root is quite tasty. I've enjoyed it in Japanese soups. The Japanese also use it as a vegetable in its own right. Companies that special in Asian vegetables sell seed for domesticated varieties of it.

Apparently, you're only supposed to harvest & eat the young first-year roots, as older roots - especially from blooming plants - are supposed to be unpleasantly tough & fibrous.

There are actually a couple of websites around devoted to growing/harvesting/cooking Burdock if you want more information.

I agree with Breezy...it's very tastey depending on what you do with it. My husbands Italian parents searched it out and called it "cardone'" They,and their friends, would know where to find their own stash (like mushroom hunters) and not share it's location with anyone.

This is what they/I have done with it. Cut the leafy part off and keep the stems (looks like celery), Wash and scrub well, especially if you're not sure if a critter has pee'd on it, or worse. Then, if it's big, strip the strings and boil until they're soft. It it's small the string might not be a problem...personally I take them off all the time.

When they are boil until edibly tender, drain and squeez them dry, dip into egg/flour batter and deep fry until golden with salt/pepper/garlic powder to taste. Fry until golden brown, turn and fry other side. Drain on wire racks, season to taste w/salt/pepper and enjoy very warm. MANGA! Enjoy.

Sorry Barbie - but you're confusing your vegetables here.

"Cardone" (aka "Cardoon") is a lovely vegetable with both wild & domesticated varieties available from Italian specialty seed companies these days. It's related to the Globe Artichoke & is grown strictly for it's large stem/stalk & your recipe for it does look delicious.

However, we're talking about "Burdock" here (aka "Gobo" in Japanese), which is grown strictly for its long thin underground tap ROOT. No other part of the plant is used.

Thanks Breezy...I do think it is Burdock weed they were hunting and eating. It looked just like the photo and I know they never planted it, just "found" it. They didn't eat the root, just the stems. HHHMMMM. Have to ask Nonna what it was...I swear she said burdock. Is burdock also a weed that grow all over?

"Burdock" is a weed that grows all over the U.S.; "Cardone" is a weed that grows all over Italy.

The recipe you gave is DEFINITELY, beyond a shadow of a doubt, for "Cardone" (or Cardoon). Down to the last letter. I know people who grow it & cook it. Just do a websearch on "Cardoon recipes" & "Burdock recipes" & you'll immediately see that I'm right.

Even if Burdock stems were edible, they wouldn't need all the prep work your recipe describes. They're thin milky, sometimes hollow stalks. And they're complete round & don't even remotely in any way resemble "celery". "Cardone/cardoon" however, DOES resemble celery stalks.

Trust me.

somethings my research has turned up if any are interested:

use burdock leaves on sprains/buising - topically - they are extremely bitter.

I've read to harvest the root the fall of the first year - or spring of the second.

Although I am trying to get rid of these, I won't suceed this year, probably take 2-3 years. I'll try to harvest some of them next year and pickle.

Maybe I'll keep 2-3 plants going per year if we like the root. I know it is amazingly healthy - but a truly large and ugly plant, I'm afraid.

On a city lot in chicago - not much room to let these kinds of things grow.....I have to be quite selective with what I make room for.

The most important thing to remember if harvesting the root the second year is to be sure you do it before the plant sends up its flower stalk & blooms.