Teasel

Tuesday
Bible study at church this morning, then I met my friend E. at the European Cafe in Montgomery for lunch. I had hoped she might join me for a walk afterwards at Glenwood Gardens, but unfortunately their cat is sick, so she didn't want to be away from home for too long. It was a beautiful sunny day under blue skies, so it made for a lovely walk.

The teasel is part of the family Dipsacaceae, and is native to Europe, Asia and northern Africa. In the U.S. the Common Teasel and Cut-leaved Teasel have been observed as invasive species. They are known to form a monoculture, capable of crowding out all native plant species, and are therefore discouraged and/or eliminated within restored open lands and other conservation areas. It is an erect biennial with small prickles on the stem and distinctive spiny flower heads. Common teasel may reach 6 1/2 feet in height and is primarily a weed of roadsides, pastures and hayfields. The Fuller's Teasel was formerly widely used in textile processing. The dried flower heads were attached to spindles, wheels, or cylinders, sometimes called teasel frames, to raise the nap on fabrics (that is, to tease the fibers). By the 20th century, teasels were largely replaced by metal cards, which could be made uniform and do not require constant replacement as the teasel heads wear. A number of medicinal properties have also been claimed for the teasel, though not proven in medical trials: cure for Lyme Disease, antibiotic, improved circulation and a cure for warts.Teasels are also occasionally grown as ornamental plants, and the dried heads are used in floristry.