BBC Gardeners' World

Plant details

• Common Name: Teasel
• Genus: Dipsacus
• Species: fullonum
• Skill Level: beginner
• Exposure: full sun, partial shade
• Hardiness: hardy
• Soil type: acidic, chalky/alkaline, clay/heavy, well-drained/light
• Height: 1.8m
• Spread: 0.8m
• Time to plant seeds: April to May

One of Chris Baines' favourite wildflowers, teasels make fine, architectural plants in the garden. Spiny flower-heads rise out of the prickly rosette of leaves in summer. These are covered in pinkish purple or white flowers in mid- to late summer. They then dry to an attractive shade of brown and make fine dried flowers for arrangements. Teseals are biennials so they need to be sown in late spring where they are to flower the following year. Beware that once they are established them will self-seed freely.