Wild Teasel (Dipsacus fullonum) is in the honeysuckle family family (Caprifoliaceae). Across the U.S., iNaturalist users have logged 1,013 research-grade flowering observations of it in our sample, peaking in July.
Nationally it blooms mainly from July to August, but timing varies a lot by state and elevation — see the table below.
When to photograph Wild Teasel: observations by month (U.S.)
About Wild Teasel
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 species Dipsacus 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 and often a noxious weed. The inflorescence is a cylindrical array of lavender flowers which dries to...From Wikipedia via iNaturalist — article, CC BY-SA.
Wild Teasel by state
| State | Observations | Peak month | Main season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | 162 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Ohio | 135 | July | Jul–Sep |
| New York | 124 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Pennsylvania | 100 | July | Jul–Jul |
| California | 72 | August | Aug–Oct |
| Washington | 65 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Kentucky | 61 | July | Jun–Jul |
| Indiana | 39 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Maryland | 36 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Michigan | 36 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Utah | 33 | July | Jul–Oct |
| Colorado | 27 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Virginia | 19 | July | Jun–Aug |
| West Virginia | 19 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Illinois | 13 | July | Jul–Aug |
| New Jersey | 13 | July | Jul–Jul |
| North Carolina | 13 | July | Jul–Aug |
| Tennessee | 9 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Missouri | 7 | July | Jul–Jul |
| Vermont | 5 | July | Jul–Sep |
Main season = months with at least 30% of the state's peak-month count.
Related wildflowers (honeysuckle family)
Japanese honeysuckle
Amur honeysuckle
Coral Honeysuckle
Pink Honeysuckle
Twinberry Honeysuckle
Shortspur Seablush
Northern Bush Honeysuckle
Edible Valerian
Photography tips
- Photograph flowers on calm, overcast mornings to avoid wind blur and harsh shadows.
- Get low: a shallow depth of field (f/2.8–f/5.6) isolates a bloom against soft color.
- Stay on trails — trampling meadows kills plants and ruins next year's display.
- Try a kaleidoscope abstract of a single bloom with our online kaleidoscope tool.
FAQ
When is the best time to photograph Wild Teasel?
Nationally, July has the most observations, with the main season from July to August.
Where is Wild Teasel most often seen?
The most observations come from Oregon, Ohio, New York.