Dipsacus pilosus aka Small Teasel

Dipsacus pilosus, commonly known as small teasel, is a biennial flowering plant in the family Caprifoliaceae. It grows up to 1.2-1.5m tall with erect, sparsely-prickly stems. The flower heads of small teasel are smaller and globular, consisting of white flowers with violet anthers and woolly spines. These flowers bloom from July to September. Small teasel thrives in damp, calcareous soils, particularly along woodland edges, clearings, hedgerows, and the banks of streams and rivers. While it is often found among tall vegetation, the seeds of small teasel require disturbance for germination. Therefore, it needs a habitat that undergoes occasional management to ensure its persistence. The plant follows a biennial life cycle, with basal leaves appearing in the first year and the production of globose flowerheads in the second year. These flowerheads contain whitish flowers and typically bloom from late summer to early autumn. Small teasel seeds have the highest germination success in the autumn.