Ok... sorry guys. It took me a long time because my sister was in town visiting me. I just took these pictures... it was raining out, but they still turned out ok. In one of them, I used the flash because I wanted to define the shape of the stalks.
I think the ones saying "common burdock" are right. Check it out here: Andy's Northern Ontario Wildflowers. Scroll down to before the middle of the page. You can also check here: Weeds. Photos are just past the middle of the page.
Thats just plain ole burdock. Theres also another one in the family that is taller, the leaves are more slender and longer, but also has the flowers on top going in a spike like way,, thats yellow dock.. where theres one, there is usually the other. Burdock can be used to make teas out of but its the root, thats used, and that is one heck of a root,, believe me. The root is thicker and longer than the plant usually. So if you want to get rid of it,, dig deep, waaayyy deep. You can also eat the root like any turnip, or use it to make wine from, it is a diuretic so drink lots of water when using. It also will induce appitite, and is a powerful purifier, so if you have never used it before ask someone who has or do alot of research before ingesting. The yellow dock is great as a liver tonic, but again, nothing to play with, do your research or go ask someone who knows. Sorry I didn't see this post sooner, or I could of told you. Been kind of out of the loop for a while,,lol.
It should get kind of a purple thistle like flower, its not prickly at all, its when the flower dies back it turns into sticky balls. you know the ones that comes home with your pets or when you was a kid stuck all over. Well thats the plant. Its actually very beautiful. I cringe when they get mowed over in the fields,,lol. If the flowers end up being just yellow then its regular dock, not the yellow dock, just dock, but if they come out purple, you got burdock,,, hence the name,,,bur-dock, you will have burs later.
Yeah... they started getting little green pokeys at the top today.. and I remembered seeing those in the pictures. I'm actually kinda excited. I think they are really pretty, too. Besides, even if I didn't like them, there's no way I'm digging that deep to get the roots. Some of the stalks are as tall as I am!
