Ontario
Weeds: Teasel
Table of Contents
- Name
- Other Names
- Family
- General Description
- Stems and Roots
- Flowers and Fruit
- Habitat
- Similar Species
- Related Links
Name: Teasel, Dipsacus sylvestris
Huds.,
Other Names: cardère des bois,
cardère sylvestre
Family: Teasel Family (Dipsacaceae)
General Description: Perennial, reproducing
only by seed.
Photos and Pictures
Teasel (A - plant before flowering; B - mature seed heads).
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Teasel. A. First-year plant with rosette leaves.
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B. Top of flowering branch.
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Stems & Roots: First-year plants
becoming large rosettes, the leaves long, tapering towards both ends,
somewhat toothed along the margins, with scattered, stout prickles
on the upper surface, especially along the midrib and with each side
vein curving forward and joining the next vein above it; stems of
second-year plants erect, to 2m (6½ft) high, usually branched
near the top, very prickly; stem leaves similar to rosette leaves
but smaller, stalkless, broader towards the stem and tapering towards
the tip, opposite (2 per node), their bases occasionally united and
forming a cup around the stem which may hold a quantity of rainwater.
Flowers & Fruit: Flowers in egg-shaped,
dense, spiny heads with long, slender, stiff, prickly bracts below
the head and numerous, short, stiff bristles within the head; individual
flowers small, corolla tubular, 10-15mm (2/5-3/5in.) long, whitish
near their bases, pale to deep purplish towards their 4-lobed ends,
3-4mm (1/8-1/6in.) across, with usually 4 stamens protruding from
the corolla tube; flower heads maturing into hard, brown, stiff-spined
structures that were used for teasing and carding wool (hence the
common name); seeds 4-angled, ridged, light brown, about 5mm (1/5in.)
long. Flowers from July to September.
Habitat: Teasel occurs throughout southern
Ontario in waste areas, meadows, roadsides, and sometimes in cultivated
land, usually in moist areas and on coarse soils.
Similar Species: It is distinguished by
its large rosette of shiny green leaves with stout prickles on the
upper surface, its prickly stems with pairs of opposite leaves often
having cup-like bases, its egg-shaped heads of flowers at the ends
of stems and branches, these maturing into hard, brown structures
completely surrounded by firm, sharp bristles.
Related Links
... on general Weed
topics
... on weed identification, order OMAFRA Publication 505: Ontario Weeds
... on weed control, order OMAFRA Publication 75: Guide To Weed Control
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