How much sun does Indian Teasel need?

Indian Teasel grows best in part shade conditions.

When does Indian Teasel bloom?

Indian Teasel blooms in June, July, and August.

What pollinators does Indian Teasel attract?

Indian Teasel draws bees and butterflies.

Is Indian Teasel HOA-friendly?

Indian Teasel takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Indian Teasel

Name: Pollinator Patch
Author: Pollinator Patch

Dipsacus sativus

Last reviewed: September 2026

Toxicity unknown

Indian Teasel (Dipsacus sativus) is not listed by the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in new tab) or the other sources we check, so we have no verdict for it either way. Absence from those lists is not a clearance. If your pet shows symptoms after eating any plant, call the ASPCA at (888) 426-4435.

Light

part shade

Water

medium

Size

24"–72" H × 12"–24" W

Bloom

Jun, Jul, Aug

Pollinators

bees, butterflies

Native alternatives to Indian Teasel

Indian Teasel is not native to the United States. These natives fill a similar role in a planting, matched on bloom season, bloom color and mature size.

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Indian teasel is a tall biennial herb that produces distinctive spiky, egg-shaped flower heads in summer. The plants form a basal rosette of leaves in their first year, then send up branching stems with purple-pink blooms in their second year. After flowering, the dried seed heads persist and can be used in crafts or left for wildlife.

In an HOA neighborhood

Indian Teasel takes more care to keep looking intentional in a front yard. Maintenance level: low. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Works well in: backyard only.

Very tall and can appear weedy
Dried stems and seed heads look untidy
May self-seed aggressively

Wildlife value

The summer flowers attract bees and butterflies for nectar. Birds, particularly goldfinches, feed on the seeds from the dried flower heads in fall and winter.

Common questions

How much sun does Indian Teasel need?: Indian Teasel grows best in part shade conditions.
When does Indian Teasel bloom?: Indian Teasel blooms in June, July, and August.
What pollinators does Indian Teasel attract?: Indian Teasel draws bees and butterflies.
Is Indian Teasel HOA-friendly?: Indian Teasel takes more care to look intentional in a front yard. Consider it for backyard or mid-zone beds rather than the street edge.

Pollinator and host plant associations compiled from GBIF, iNaturalist, and published ecological literature.

If something looks wrong

Common plant problems, and what to check first

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