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Teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Not yet photographed by the community

Spiny cone of purple flowers; goldfinches eat the seeds.

Species Profile

Not threatened; listed as Least Concern. Locally common.

Lifespan: 2 years (biennial)
Size & Weight: 60–200 cm tall; flower heads 2–8 cm long
Habitat: Disturbed ground, roadsides, waste areas, and damp meadows throughout lowland Britain.
UK Distribution: Found across much of England, Wales, and southern Scotland; generally absent from northern uplands. Native species, non-migratory (plant).
Diet: Not applicable (plant; obtains nutrients from soil and sunlight via photosynthesis).
Predators: Goldfinches and other seed-eating birds feed on mature seeds; caterpillars of some moth species feed on foliage.
Mating Season: Flowers July to September (second year of growth).
Breeding: Produces thousands of small seeds dispersed by wind and attached to animal fur; no breeding in animal sense (plant reproduction via seed).
Behaviour: In its first year, teasel forms a rosette of spiky leaves; in the second year it produces a tall, rigid stem with distinctive purple-pink flower heads that bloom progressively upwards. The plant is notable for its rigid, spiny structure and historical use in textile manufacturing.

Did You Know?

•The dried seed heads were historically used to 'tease' or comb out wool fibres in the cloth-making industry, giving the plant its common name.
•Teasel flower heads are highly attractive to bees, butterflies, and other pollinators, making them valuable for insect populations.
•Goldfinches particularly favour teasel seeds and often visit the dried heads in autumn and winter.
•The plant's hollow stem was once used as a natural water vessel, as it cups rainwater at the leaf bases.
•Teasels are naturalized in Britain, arriving during the Roman period and now widespread across lowland areas.

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