January 29, 2017

Greater Burdock


Here we are in a plantation of young poplars not far from the Dordogne river.
In the background some coloured spots can be seen, it is blue plastic the owner wrapped around his young tree trunks to protect them against hungry roe deer. You can consider poplar plantations as a kind of nuisance because they destroy wetlands where otherwise many interesting wild plants would grow, that are now replaced by common ruderal plants. Like Burdocks. Here is a Greater Burdock (Arctium lappa) in winter attire. Well, you can't say it is uninteresting.








It is a majestic growth, because of its size of more than a metre high and its elegantly curved bows of dried flower heads.







The dried flower heads carry little hooks, and they are really appropriate to annoy your other children by putting them intheir hair. Nearly every child knows...