In the 1700s, European teasel reached America, including a type used to finish cloth; today it grows in 43 of 48 lower states, and one plant can make 2,000+ seeds

There is a six-foot-tall, spiky, cone-shaped weed growing on the side of the highway right now that few people passing by would recognize. Most people pass it without giving it a second glance. This strange-looking weed was actually integral to the clothing of early Americans, and it serves as a prime example of nature's ability to reclaim what man takes from it. This plant is called teasel, and according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, it was brought to America from Europe in the 1700s, where it was used for its value to the textile industry. Today, this plant is an unwelcome sight to many people residing in forty-three of the lower forty-eight states.

A plant that used to earn its keep

Before modern machinery, Fuller's teasel (Dipsacus sativus) was used to raise fibers in woolen cloth so that it could be smoothed into fabric. This cultivated variety is distinct from wild or common teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), the closely related species that has since spread aggressively across the country. Per the US Forest Service’s Fire Effects Information System assessment of Dipsacus fullonum, which covers the wild, invasive species rather than the cultivated textile variety, common and cutleaf teasel were already present in North America and had become established in parts of the country by the early 20th century. It's a quaint little story about how a plant native to Europe made its fortune assisting the textile mills of early America, and the plant itself is almost charming in its conical shape. However, it didn't take very long for this helpful plant to start making itself at home in places it wasn't wanted.


How one plant took over

According to the Texas Invasive Species Institute, each teasel plant has the potential to make over two thousand seeds in its lifetime. These seeds can remain viable in the soil for at least two years before germinating. The plant's life cycle also makes it especially prone to taking over unwanted areas. It takes two years for a teasel plant to fully mature, and the plant grows in an extremely compact rosette form during its first year.

Teasel is an opportunistic colonizer of disturbed soil, ground exposed by roadwork, construction, or other human activity, rather than a plant that “prefers” land in any human sense. This combination of biological and environmental factors has resulted in teasel becoming classified as a noxious weed in states such as Colorado, Iowa, Missouri, and New Mexico.

The part humans played

The spread of this plant has actually been partially facilitated by humans, although it's hard to tell whether it's due to intentional introduction or simply people taking it for granted. The US Forest Service's species assessment notes that the plant was brought over to America in the colonial era, where it was used extensively to process wool at a household level.

This means that, as settlers traveled west and homesteaded new land, they unwittingly brought the teasel plant with them and allowed it to take root. Furthermore, the plant's interesting seed heads made it popular as a dried decoration during the Victorian era. The plant's fondness for disturbed ground means that it is commonly found around roadways, cemeteries, and other places where humans have disturbed the natural landscape.

A common occurrence

It's not surprising that a plant that was useful to humans has since taken advantage of the situation to take over. In fact, it's fairly common for plants to be introduced for utilitarian purposes and then become invasive once the original purpose declines. It's a similar situation to when certain animals have been introduced in order to help with a specific task, only to grow unchecked when they're no longer needed in the same way. Whether or not you find these spiky purple flowers on your local highway, it's worth remembering the industrial role this plant’s cultivated ancestor once played.