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Woolly Burdock

Arctium tomentosum P. Mill

Asteraceae (Sunflower Family)

▲ first year rosette

▲▼ flowering plants

▲▼ inflorescences

▲▼ inflorescences

▲▼ inflorescences

▲ closer view of woolly bracts

Arctium tomentosum P. Mill., Woolly Burdock: (Bayer Code:  ARFTO; US Code ARTO)

·         Biennial weed similar to common burdock that produces large, pubescent triangular leaves (12-18 inches long and almost equally as wide) in first year

·         Second year produces elongated stalk 2-6 feet tall with globose spiny-bracted flower heads with dark purple flowers

·         Differs from common burdock in that common burdock’s bur-like inflorescences often are more rounded to urn-shaped, green in color and usually lack the dense cob-web like hairs around the inflorescence spiny

·         Found in pastures, roadsides, open woods, non-crop areas—can tolerate moderate shade

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Posted 19 January 2019