The Wild Teasel - Botany and Significance
"I also have the teasel thistle in my garden." We often hear this from our customers. In fact, this term is incorrect because the teasel is not a thistle.
The wild teasel is native throughout Europe and quite well known – yet its botanical classification is not always easy. Experience shows this repeatedly, especially with people who want to make their own tinctures: some confuse the wild teasel with similar-looking plants.
As true fans of this magnificent plant, we take the opportunity here to classify the wild teasel botanically.
The wild teasel belongs – with all its genera – to the family of teasel plants. Although they look thistle-like, they are not thistles.
Exciting, isn't it? Now it gets even more botanical and specific.
The family of teasel plants includes the following genera:
- Teasel Dipsacus
- Widow flower Knautia
- Scabious Scabiosa
- Devil's bite Succisa
The genus "Teasel" includes the following species:
- Wild teasel
- Slit-leaved teasel
- Hairy teasel
- Slender teasel
For us at the world of teasels, the wild teasel and the so-called carder teasel are relevant.
The currently valid botanical name of the wild teasel is „Dipsacus Fullonum“ and means something like "thistle of the cloth maker." This is misleading, as the carder teasel was used for roughening fabric in the past, "Dipsacus Sativus." However, it does not descend from the wild teasel but from the Mediterranean teasel species "Dipsacus Ferox."
And to complete the confusion: the fuller’s teasel used to be called “Dipsacus Fullonum” – which, as mentioned, is now assigned to the wild teasel.
We admit, it’s really not that simple to classify.
What we want to tell you here: In the book “Naturally Heal Lyme Disease,” Wolf-Dieter Storl shows a fuller’s teasel on page 148, not a wild teasel.
A plant with a past
The wild teasel has an exciting past: it is still firmly rooted in Traditional Chinese Medicine today. But Maria Treben – known to many – also used it medicinally. By the way, very similarly to how Wolf-Dieter Storl does today, for example in the book “Naturally Heal Lyme Disease.”
Apart from herbal medicine, the spiky head of the teasel was used until it was replaced by chemicals to soften textiles. Even during the industrial era.
Even today, the textile industry uses the term “carding.” What exactly that means and whether the term really comes from the teasel (spoiler: yes, it does) can be read in our historical summary.
The history of the teaselA popular photo subject
Today, teasel is no longer used for roughening fabric. Instead, it is – besides its use in herbal medicine – a popular subject for private and professional photographers. Why is that? Because of its flower. It is exceptionally beautiful. We think so too.
That’s why we show you – alongside facts and products – some wonderful teasel impressions on this website.
The Wild Teasel – Photo Gallery
