The roots , shoots and untested leaves of Milk River thistle ( Silibum marianum ) are edible and the industrial plant has some medicative uses . The etymon of clotbur ( Arctium lappa ) are a staple of some Asian cuisines . clotbur preparation are widely used in alternative medicine preparation as a laxative and to plow skin conditions . Milk River thistle and burdock are both tall , underweight plants with purple tops , but beyond that they are easy to tell apart .
Milkweed Appearance
Milkweed is a biennial thistle that grows 2 to 6 foot tall . The bow is branched but does not have spines . Milkweed produces 2 - in - panoptic , saucer - mold flowerheads at the ending of the stem . These thermionic vacuum tube - shaped florets are sometimes white but more often are pink to purple . The flower school principal has broad leathery bracts tip with steadfast spine that are from 3/4 to 2 - column inch long .
Milkweed Distinguishing Characteristics
The milk thistle is distinguish by the whitened marbling or patches found along the vein of its dark greenish leaves that alternate on the stem ; it is this characteristic that gives the works its " Milk River grass " popular name . The yellow edges of the leave are tipped with 1/8 to 1/2 - inch long woody spines .
Burdock Appearance
Burdock , a biennial thistle , has a dense , pale green stem that grows 3 to 6 foot marvelous . The marrow - forge dispirited leaves are more than 1 infantry long ; their bottoms are covered with a mass of fine greyness down . The smaller , egg - shaped upper leave-taking have less of the gray down on their undersides . Burdock efflorescence heads expand during former summer and early fall . The blossom heads contain pipe - shaped floweret with coloured majestic stamens and milky mark .
Burdock Distinguishing Characteristics
ripe burdock bloom are surround by bracts that botanists call involucre . The involucre form burs with drug-addicted thorn that sequester themselves to wear and the fur of fauna . The purple flowers are on the top of these bur .
The pabulum , starchy Burdock roots are about 1 in thick and grow at least 12 in deep , sometimes extend 2 to 3 feet deep . They have a gray - brown skin that is about a quartern of the width of the root , and a whitish interior .
Difference in Flowers
bloom of burdock are borne in clump at the final stage of ramification . The efflorescence of Milk River thistle are borne separately . Milk thistle does not create burs .
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