Wild Teasel Seeds (Dipsacus fullonum)

A tall, architectural wildflower with dramatic spiny flower heads and strong wildlife value. From its rosettes of jagged leaves to its striking, thistle-like blooms, it brings height, structure, and year-round interest to meadows, rewilded areas and wildlife-friendly gardens.

Key Features:

• Exceptionally valuable for pollinators and seed-eating birds
• A biennial, flowering in its second year
• Leaves form water-holding cups that support insects and birds
• Strong upright flower adding structure to meadows and planting schemes
• Approx. 350 seeds per 1g

Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) is one of the most recognisable native wildflowers in the British landscape, known for its tall, upright stems and dramatic, cone-shaped flower heads. In its first year, it produces a rosette of jagged green leaves close to the ground. In the second year, it sends up strong flowering stems topped with large, spiny heads that are ringed with tiny, mauve-purple flowers, a magnet for bees, butterflies and hoverflies.

The plant can reach heights of 1.5 to 2 metres when in full flower, making it one of the tallest in most meadow mixes. Its strong vertical form adds structure and rhythm to looser planting schemes, and it’s particularly striking when left standing through winter, when the seed heads take on a sculptural quality and offer food for birds, especially goldfinches.

Teasel is naturally biennial, meaning it completes its lifecycle over two years. Once it has flowered and set seed, the plant dies back, but it often leaves behind hundreds of potential new seedlings if conditions are right. It thrives in full sun and well-drained soils, but it’s surprisingly adaptable, tolerating heavier or slightly damp ground too.

Whether planted for pollinators, birds, or simply for its bold visual impact, Wild Teasel offers long-lasting value in naturalistic spaces.

Wild Teasel can be sown in either spring (March to May) or autumn (August to October). Prepare a clean, weed-free seedbed by lightly cultivating and raking the soil to a fine tilth. Sow the seed directly where it is to flower, scattering thinly and pressing gently into the soil surface. A very light covering, or even just firming with a roller or board, is usually sufficient.

In its first year, the plant will produce a basal rosette of leaves, focusing energy on root development. In the second year, tall flowering stems will emerge, bloom from mid to late summer, and then dry into architectural seed heads by autumn.

Once Teasel has flowered and set seed, the individual plant will die, but if left undisturbed, it will often self-seed into nearby ground. For ongoing displays, allow some seed heads to remain over winter. Plants can be cut down in early spring if tidying is needed.

It thrives in wildflower meadows, rough grassland, hedgerows, and pond edges, and can also be used as a bold feature in wildlife gardens and naturalistic borders.

For garden applications direct sow at 1g/m2. For overseeding existing meadow planting or for new sowings on larger areas sow at a maximum of 2g/m2.

Wild Teasel is one of the best native plants for attracting both insects and birds. The flowers provide generous nectar for bumblebees, butterflies, and other pollinators in summer, while the seed heads are a major food source for goldfinches and other seed-eaters in winter. Its water-holding leaf cups are also visited by insects and small birds, making it an all-round wildlife champion.

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Garden lawn seed, wildflower seeds, and wildflower seed mixtures are typically dispatched within 1 to 3 working days.

Products from our agricultural, landscaping, and equine ranges may be shipped separately as they are mixed to order.

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Q1: Is Wild Teasel a perennial?

A: Not exactly, it’s a biennial, meaning it flowers in its second year and then dies. However, it often self-seeds readily, so it can return year after year in a naturalised setting.

Q2: How can I stop it from taking over?

A: While Teasel can self-seed generously, it’s easy to manage. Simply cut down the seed heads before they ripen if you’d prefer to limit spread.

Q3: Can I use it in a more formal garden?

A: Absolutely, Wild Teasel’s strong form makes it a beautiful addition to prairie-style borders or wildlife-friendly garden designs. It pairs well with ornamental grasses and other tall perennials.

Q4: Will birds really feed from the seed heads?

A: Yes, goldfinches in particular love Wild Teasel seeds. Leaving the dried heads standing through winter is one of the best ways to support them naturally.