Arctium lappa - A biennial or short lived perennial. 1.5-2 meters height, 1 metre width. Purple thistle like flowers in the summer. Full sun to part shade. Prefers a moist, well drained soil, and will grow in most soil types. A medicinal herb, used in both Chinese and Western herbal medicine. The parts the plant used are the root, plant and seeds. Very large, attractive leaves. The root, young leaves, leaf stalks and the immature flower stalks are edible. Grown as an edible root crop in Japan. Frost hardy. The flowers are very attractive to bees and butterflies.