ExplorePlants

wild teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Wild teasel is a tall plant with spiky flowers that look like little purple brushes. It grows in fields and along roadsides, and it helps attract butterflies and bees!

Habitat: Grasslands

Appearance

The wild teasel is a tall, spiky plant with a distinctive, conical flower head. It has small, purple-pink flowers that bloom in a unique band around the middle of the head, moving up and down. Its robust stems and leaves are covered in sharp prickles, and its dried seed heads remain upright through winter.

KingdomPlantaePhylumTracheophytaClassMagnoliopsidaOrderDipsacalesFamilyCaprifoliaceaeGenusDipsacus
wild teasel
flowering trait badgebiennial trait badgesummer_blooming trait badgegrassland trait badge
wild teasel

Category

Plants

Rarity

Common

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Snaps

Be the first to snap!

Interesting facts

Goldfinches love to pluck seeds from its prickly, tall stalks.

Its spiky dried heads were once used to fluff up wool!

Rainwater pools in its leaves, sometimes trapping insects like a tiny pond!

The flowers bloom in a cool band, starting in the middle and spreading up and down!

Special abilities

Ability

Spiky Shield

Wild teasel has prickly stems and leaves that protect it from hungry animals wanting a snack.

Ability

Rainwater Cups

Wild teasel can collect rainwater in its unique leaf bases, creating tiny pools that can trap insects or provide drinks for small creatures.

Ability

Winter Storehouse

Wild teasel's tough, spiky seed heads persist through winter, providing a vital food source for birds when other food is scarce.

Measurements & details

Height
100-250 cm
Spread
30-60 cm
Flower Size
0.5-1 cm
Bloom Season
Summer
Edible
No
Toxicity
None
Lifecycle
Biennial
Pollination Method
Insect

Ecological connections

pollinates

European honey bee

Apis mellifera

Gathers nectar and pollen

eaten by

European goldfinch

Carduelis carduelis

Feeds on seeds from heads

pollinates

Painted Lady

Vanessa cardui

Sips nectar from flowers

eaten by

Garden snail

Helix aspersa

Consumes young leaves

Traits

Also known as

No aliases listed yet.

Collections

Safety

Danger

1/5 · Very low

Be careful around the spiky parts of the plant, and always ask an adult before touching new plants.

Frequently Asked Questions

How tall is wild teasel?

100-250 cm

How wide does wild teasel spread?

30-60 cm

How big are the flowers on wild teasel?

0.5-1 cm

When does wild teasel bloom?

Summer

Is wild teasel edible?

No

Is wild teasel toxic?

None

What is wild teasel's lifecycle?

Biennial

How is wild teasel pollinated?

Insect

Snap Map

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Where to spot

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