Burdock Root Seeds 'Watanabe' (Gobo) – Culinary & Medicinal Asian Vegetable, Open-Pollinated

Burdock Root 'Watanabe' (Gobo) – Arctium lappa

Burdock (Arctium lappa), known as Gobo in Japanese, is a prized traditional root vegetable and medicinal herb widely cultivated across Japan, China, and Korea. The 'Watanabe' variety is an early-maturing selection with a slightly shorter, very tender root and the same rich, subtly earthy-sweet flavor as the classic Takinogawa variety — making it ideal for spring sowing and summer harvest. Plants grow up to 3 feet tall with impressive deep-reaching roots.

Known across Asia by many names — Gobo (Japan), Uang (Korea), Niu Pang (China) — burdock root is both a beloved culinary ingredient and a respected herbal remedy with centuries of traditional use.

Plant Details

• Variety: Watanabe (early-season Gobo)
• Latin Name: Arctium lappa
• Type: Open-Pollinated, Culinary & Medicinal
• Root: Long, tender, earthy-sweet flavor
• Plant Height: Up to 3 feet
• Best Use: Stir-fries, soups, stews, juicing, medicinal tea
• Sowing Season: Spring (for summer harvest)

Culinary Uses

Burdock root has a subtly sweet, earthy flavor that pairs beautifully with potatoes, mushrooms, carrots, and onions. It can be:

• Steamed, stir-fried, or simmered in soups and stews
• Juiced fresh with celery, kale, and apple
• Prepared as kinpira gobo — the classic Japanese braised burdock dish
• Dried and steeped as an herbal tea (steep 1–2 tsp in 1 cup boiling water for 10+ minutes)

Growing Instructions

• Direct sow in spring after last frost for summer harvest.
• Choose a deep, loose, well-drained bed — roots need at least 18–24" depth.
• Sow seeds ½" deep, 2" apart, in rows 18" apart.
• Thin to 4–6" apart once seedlings reach 3" tall.
• Full sun preferred; consistent moisture for best root development.
• Days to maturity: approximately 100–120 days.

Harvesting

• Harvest roots when they reach 12–18" long and are still tender.
• Loosen soil deeply with a garden fork before pulling to avoid breaking.
• Young shoots and peeled stalks are also edible.

Select your desired seed quantity above. Open-pollinated, untreated seed.