# cutleaf teasel (*Dipsacus laciniatus*) Cutleaf teasel is a tall plant with spiky leaves and beautiful purple flowers. It grows in sunny places and can attract many butterflies and bees! - **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 4 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![cutleaf teasel](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Dipsacus_-_Cut-leaved_teasel%252C_Adana_2016-08-17_02-2.jpg&width=800) Photo: Zeynel Cebeci, CC BY-SA 4.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Dipsacus_-_Cut-leaved_teasel%252C_Adana_2016-08-17_02-2.jpg) ## Appearance The cutleaf teasel is a tall, sturdy plant with a stem covered in sharp thorns. Its deeply lobed, "cut" leaves form cups that collect water, and its pale purple-white flowers bloom in egg-shaped heads, surrounded by long, curving bracts. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Plantae - **Phylum:** Tracheophyta - **Class:** Magnoliopsida - **Order:** Dipsacales - **Family:** Caprifoliaceae - **Genus:** Dipsacus ## Interesting facts - Its spiky leaves form mini "cups" that collect rainwater, like tiny bird baths! - Long ago, its dried heads brushed wool, working like a giant, natural comb! - The scientific name "Dipsacus" means "thirst," named for its water-holding leaves! - This tall plant can grow over 8 feet high, much taller than a grown-up! ## Special abilities - **Water Cups:** Cutleaf teasel has cup-like leaf bases that collect rainwater, giving it a handy drink in dry times. - **Spiny Shield:** This plant is covered in sharp spines, protecting it from hungry animals trying to eat its leaves. - **Hitchhiker Seeds:** Its bristly seed heads can cling to animal fur or clothes, helping its seeds travel far and wide. ## Measurements & details - **Height:** 100-250 cm - **Spread:** 30-60 cm - **Flower Size:** 4-10 cm - **Bloom Season:** Summer - **Edible:** No - **Toxicity:** None - **Lifecycle:** Biennial - **Pollination Method:** Insect ## Ecological connections - **Pollinates:** European honey bee (*Apis mellifera*) — visits flowers for nectar and pollen. - **Pollinates:** Painted Lady butterfly (*Vanessa cardui*) — sips sweet nectar from its many tiny flowers. - **Eaten by:** [American Goldfinch](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-goldfinch) (*Spinus tristis*) — eats dried seeds during winter. ## Traits - [Flowering](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/flowering): Flowering plants are any plants that produce flowers as part of their reproductive cycle. - [Biennial](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/biennial): Biennial plants complete their life cycle over two growing seasons, typically forming foliage in the first year and flowering/seeding in the second. - [Summer Blooming](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/summer-blooming): Summer blooming plants produce their flowers during the summer season, often providing vibrant color when many other plants have finished. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Pollinator Magnet](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator-magnet): Describes plants that are particularly attractive and beneficial to a wide range of pollinating organisms. - [Spiky/Thorny](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spiky-thorny): Possessing sharp, pointed projections or spines on the body or surface. - [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants. ## Collections - [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Don't touch the spiky parts of the plant, as they can be sharp! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify cutleaf teasel? Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How tall is cutleaf teasel? 100-250 cm ### How wide does cutleaf teasel spread? 30-60 cm ### How big are the flowers on cutleaf teasel? 4-10 cm ### When does cutleaf teasel bloom? Summer ### Is cutleaf teasel edible? No ### Is cutleaf teasel toxic? None ### What is cutleaf teasel's lifecycle? Biennial ## Where to spot - [Boerner Botanical Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/boerner-botanical-gardens) — Wisconsin, US · Botanical Garden - [Midewin National Tallgrass Prairie](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/midewin-national-tallgrass-prairie) — Illinois, US · Forest - [Blair Academy](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/blair-academy) — New Jersey, US · Campus - [Glendale Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/glendale-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Holy Cross Church and School Complex-Latonia](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/holy-cross-church-and-school-complex-latonia) — Kentucky, US · Campus - [Hudson Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hudson-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District [View all places to see cutleaf teasel](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/cutleaf-teasel) ## More Plants - [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*) - [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*) - [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*) - [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*) --- Source: [Cutleaf Teasel: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/cutleaf-teasel)