Bloomipedia
Cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus)
Photo: Sandra Keller via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Cutleaf teasel

Dipsacus laciniatus

Cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus) is a flowering plant in the Caprifoliaceae family, introduced in the lower 48 states, blooming mostly July–August across the U.S.

Introduced in the lower 48

Cutleaf teasel is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 2 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–August.

20states where USDA records it
2Bloomipedia state lists include it
10,753U.S. sightings*

*iNaturalist research-grade observations, as of October 17, 2026.

On our lists for: Illinois, Ohio

🚫
Regulated invasive plant in Illinois and Ohio. It's on those states' official invasive plant lists (Illinois: Exotic weed (sale and planting prohibited); Ohio: Invasive plant (sale and propagation prohibited)). Please don't plant or share it there. 17 IAC 1100.30 OAC 901:5-30-01

Quick look

Dipsacus laciniatus is a species of flowering plant in the honeysuckle family known by the common name cutleaf teasel. It is native to Europe and Asia. It is present in North America as an introduced species and invasive weed.

  • It belongs to the Caprifoliaceae family. iNaturalist
  • USDA PLANTS describes it as an herb (forb) with a biennial life cycle. USDA PLANTS
  • USDA PLANTS lists it as introduced in the lower 48 states and records it in 20 states. USDA PLANTS
  • NatureServe lists it as not native to Illinois and Ohio. NatureServe
  • In Illinois, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. iNaturalist
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,140 research-grade sightings of it in Illinois, ranking #45 among the 180 flowers on our Illinois list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 1,841 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #97 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (521 records)
Bloom time in the 2 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
IllinoisIntroducedJuly–August3,140
OhioIntroducedJuly–September1,841

Conservation status

Federal (U.S. ESA)
Not listed No U.S. Endangered Species Act listing in the USFWS ECOS database. USFWS ECOS
NatureServe global
GNR Not yet ranked worldwide. NatureServe
Illinois
Not listed Not on Illinois List of Endangered and Threatened Flora (17 Ill. Adm. Code 1050), per the Endangered Species Protection Board's 2025 checklist. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Illinois. IL E&T checklist 2025
Ohio
Not listed Not on Ohio endangered and threatened plants (Ohio Adm. Code 1501:18-1-03, eff. Dec. 26, 2024). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Ohio. OAC 1501:18-1-03
Rare elsewhere
No other U.S. state ranks it S1, S2, SH or SX.

Checked October 17, 2026. Rankings and lists can change, so follow the links for the latest.

Can you eat it?

For peopleNot well documented

None of the sources we checked (NC State Extension (no page for this plant), USDA PLANTS) say whether it's edible or poisonous for people.

For petsNot well documented

It isn't on the ASPCA plant list.

🌿 Never eat a wild plant unless you're certain of its ID; this isn't medical advice. Worried about a person? Call Poison Control at 1-800-222-1222. Worried about a pet? Call your vet.

Where does it grow?

USDA PLANTS records cutleaf teasel in 20 states.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Colorado, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Virginia, West Virginia, Wisconsin.

Illinois counties with USDA records: Champaign, Christian, Coles, Cook, Crawford, Cumberland, Douglas, DuPage, Greene, Hamilton, Hancock, Iroquois, Jackson, Johnson, Kane, Kankakee, Kendall, Lake, Macon, Mason, McDonough, McHenry, McLean, Menard, Morgan, Peoria, Richland, Rock Island, Sangamon, Will.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Brown, Butler, Columbiana, Defiance, Greene, Guernsey, Hamilton, Huron, Lucas, Mahoning, Marion, Mercer, Paulding, Pike, Scioto, Trumbull, Van Wert, Williams, Wyandot.

Names, range and relatives

Native status by region (USDA PLANTS): Canada: Introduced; Lower 48 states: Introduced.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 132 counties across 17 states; the most are in Illinois (30), Missouri (20), Ohio (20).

Other Dipsacus on Bloomipedia (1): Wild teasel.

More from the Caprifoliaceae family (18 on Bloomipedia; most observed first): Amur honeysuckle, Japanese honeysuckle, Twinberry honeysuckle, Common snowberry, Pink honeysuckle, Coral honeysuckle, Twinflower, Northern bush honeysuckle.

More Illinois flowers

Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)

Amur honeysuckle

Lonicera maackii

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in IL: May–August
Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus)

Common snowberry

Symphoricarpos albus

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Illinois gardens
Seven-son flower (Heptacodium miconioides)

Seven-son flower

Heptacodium miconioides

🌷 Flowering shrub

🌷 Grown in Illinois gardens

Sources