Species: Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

Family: Teasels (DIPSACACEAE)

Category: Flowering Plants

Location: NW

A. Flowering Plants

More extensive information on flowering plants can be found in a separate blog post.

B. Teasels (DIPSACACEAE)

The flowers are grouped in dense heads, and the fruits are enclosed in the spiky heads.

C. Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)

The pale purple flowers of this familiar tall native appear in July. The dried heads are excellent for cleaning and teasing cloth, especially that made from the wool of downland sheep, prior to spinning, and raising the nap of cloth in hat making. An infusion of root is used for skin eruptions, and as an ointment is good for warts, wens, cankers and fistulas. Water trapped in the base of teasel leaves is said to be good for sore eyes.

Images

Wild Teasel

The pale purple flowers of the familiar Wild Teasel appear in July.

Wild Teasel

Dried Wild Teasel heads are excellent for cleaning and teasing cloth, especially that made from the wool of downland sheep, prior to spinning, and raising the nap of cloth in hat making.

Wild Teasel

The spikey heads of Wild Teasel can be used for raising the nap of cloth in hat making.

Wild Teasel

An infusion of Wild Teasel root is used for skin eruptions, and as an ointment is good for warts, wens, cankers and fistulas.

Wild Teasel

Water trapped in the base of Wild Teasel leaves is said to be good for sore eyes.