Bloomipedia
Wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum)
Photo: Sandy Wolkenberg via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · resized

Flower profile

Wild teasel

Dipsacus fullonum

Wild teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) 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

Wild teasel is a wildflower that USDA PLANTS lists as introduced in the lower 48 states. It's on our flower lists for 10 states, and across the U.S. it's most often seen in bloom in July–August.

41states where USDA records it
10Bloomipedia state lists include it
30,847U.S. sightings*

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

On our lists for: Idaho, Indiana, Kentucky, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Utah, Washington, West Virginia

🚫
Regulated invasive plant in Ohio, Washington, Indiana and Kentucky. It's on those states' official invasive plant lists (Ohio: Invasive plant (sale and propagation prohibited); Washington: Class C noxious weed; Indiana: Prohibited invasive plant (no sale, gifting or planting); Kentucky: Noxious weed (controlled on state highways under KRS 176.051)). Please don't plant or share it there. OAC 901:5-30-01 WAC 16-750 312 IAC 18-3-25 KRS 176.051

Quick look

Dipsacus fullonum, syn. Dipsacus sylvestris, is a species of flowering plant known by the common names wild teasel or fuller's teasel, although the latter name is usually applied to the cultivated variety D. fullonum var. sativus. It is native to Eurasia and North Africa, but it is known in the Americas, southern Africa, Australia and New Zealand as an introduced species.

  • 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 41 states. USDA PLANTS
  • In Ohio, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–September. iNaturalist
  • In Oregon, most iNaturalist sightings of it in flower come in July–August. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,403 research-grade sightings of it in Ohio, ranking #35 among the 186 flowers on our Ohio list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 4,220 research-grade sightings of it in Oregon, ranking #34 among the 184 flowers on our Oregon list. iNaturalist
  • iNaturalist has 3,303 research-grade sightings of it in Pennsylvania, ranking #59 among the 190 flowers on our Pennsylvania list. iNaturalist

When does it bloom?

Flowering records by month across the U.S. (iNaturalist research-grade observations marked “Flowering”) (1,066 records)
Bloom time in the 10 states whose Bloomipedia list includes it
StateTypePeak bloomSightings*
OhioIntroducedJuly–September4,403
OregonIntroducedJuly–August4,220
PennsylvaniaIntroducedJuly3,303
New YorkIntroducedJuly–August2,741
WashingtonIntroducedJuly–August2,294
UtahIntroducedfew records (33)1,142
IndianaIntroducedfew records (39)1,066
KentuckyIntroducedJune–July648
West VirginiaIntroducedfew records (19)539
IdahoIntroducedfew records (3)538

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
State rare plant lists
Not listed Not on the official rare plant list in 5 of our 10 states.
See each state
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
Oregon
Not listed Not on Oregon endangered and threatened plants (OAR 603-073-0070). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Oregon. OAR 603-073-0070
Pennsylvania
Not listed Not on Pennsylvania classified native plants (17 Pa. Code Ch. 45, Subchapter B, as amended 2023). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Pennsylvania. 17 Pa. Code Ch. 45
New York
Not listed Not on New York protected native plants (6 NYCRR § 193.3). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in New York. 6 NYCRR § 193.3
Kentucky
Not listed Not on Kentucky endangered and threatened plant lists (400 KAR 3:040, eff. 2026). NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Kentucky. 400 KAR 3:040
Washington
No list Washington has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the Washington Natural Heritage Program's rare plant list isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Washington ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Washington.
Utah
No list Utah has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Utah ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Utah.
Indiana
No list Indiana has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (the DNR keeps a rare plant list, but it isn't regulatory), so we show NatureServe's Indiana ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Indiana.
West Virginia
No list West Virginia has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants (only federally listed species are protected), so we show NatureServe's West Virginia ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in West Virginia.
Idaho
No list Idaho has no state law listing endangered or threatened plants, so we show NatureServe's Idaho ranks instead. NatureServe: SNA, not applicable (usually because it isn't native there) in Idaho.
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 wild teasel in 41 states plus Washington, D.C.

recorded by USDA PLANTS on our state lists not recorded

See the full list of states

Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming; District of Columbia.

Ohio counties with USDA records: Adams, Allen, Ashland, Ashtabula, Athens, Auglaize, Belmont, Brown, Butler, Carroll, Champaign, Clark, Clermont, Clinton, Columbiana, Coshocton, Crawford, Cuyahoga, Darke, Defiance, Delaware, Erie, Fairfield, Fayette, Franklin, Gallia, Geauga, Guernsey, Hamilton, Hancock, Hardin, Harrison, Highland, Hocking, Holmes, Huron, Jackson, Jefferson, Knox, Lake, Lawrence, Licking, Lorain, Madison, Mahoning, Medina, Meigs, Mercer, Miami, Monroe, Montgomery, Morgan, Morrow, Muskingum, Noble, Ottawa, Paulding, Perry, Pickaway, Pike, Portage, Preble, Putnam, Richland, Ross, Sandusky, Seneca, Shelby, Stark, Summit, Trumbull, Tuscarawas, Union, Van Wert, Vinton, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Williams, Wood, Wyandot.

Oregon counties with USDA records: Baker, Benton, Clackamas, Coos, Douglas, Gilliam, Grant, Harney, Hood River, Jackson, Jefferson, Josephine, Klamath, Lane, Lincoln, Linn, Marion, Morrow, Multnomah, Polk, Tillamook, Umatilla, Union, Wallowa, Wasco, Washington, Wheeler, Yamhill.

Pennsylvania counties with USDA records: Adams, Allegheny, Beaver, Bedford, Berks, Blair, Bradford, Bucks, Butler, Cambria, Carbon, Centre, Chester, Clearfield, Clinton, Cumberland, Dauphin, Delaware, Erie, Fayette, Forest, Franklin, Fulton, Greene, Huntingdon, Jefferson, Juniata, Lackawanna, Lancaster, Lawrence, Lebanon, Lehigh, McKean, Mercer, Mifflin, Montgomery, Northampton, Northumberland, Philadelphia, Schuylkill, Somerset, Sullivan, Susquehanna, Tioga, Union, Warren, Washington, Wayne, Westmoreland, York.

Names, range and relatives

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

Other scientific names (synonyms in USDA PLANTS): Dipsacus sylvestris.

County records: USDA PLANTS lists it in 588 counties across 38 states; the most are in Ohio (81), Indiana (50), Pennsylvania (50).

Other Dipsacus on Bloomipedia (1): Cutleaf 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 Ohio flowers

Amur honeysuckle (Lonicera maackii)

Amur honeysuckle

Lonicera maackii

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in OH: April–June
Japanese honeysuckle (Lonicera japonica)

Japanese honeysuckle

Lonicera japonica

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in OH: May–October
Cutleaf teasel (Dipsacus laciniatus)

Cutleaf teasel

Dipsacus laciniatus

Introduced

🌼 Blooms in OH: July–September

Sources