Common names: Cutleaf teasel, Cut-leaved teasel, 

Family: Dipsacaceae

Life form: Biennial forb

History & Introduction

Cutleaf teasel is native to Europe and temperate parts of Asia. Although no stranger to the United States—with some records dating its introduction to the country in the 1700’s—cutleaf teasel is a relatively recent invader of New York State. Initial in-state herbaria records list its initial discovery in 1967. Records have since become increasingly more common in both physical or photographical forms. Its introduction is believed to be the result of its ornamental and textile value; contributing to the production of wool or being used to nap cloth fibers. Cutleaf teasel may sound familiar due to its close relation with a more common invasive species, Fuller’s teasel (Dipsacus fullonum). Notably, these two species have been known to hybridize with one another.

Identification & Biology

Cutleaf teasel prefers habitats with an open-canopy. Common places where this species has been seen invading include roadsides, meadows, prairies, fields, along rivers, and other disturbed areas. With regards to identification of this species, it is important to highlight that this is a monocarpic biennial, meaning that it produces seeds only once in its two-year lifetime, the first of which is spent entirely in a non-flowering, rosette form.

Form: First-year individuals remain low to the ground as basal rosettes. These rosettes exhibit a taproot system. Second-year individuals build off these rosettes using flowering stalks which can reach heights of 7-10 ft. Note that leaves and stems contain prickles. Additionally, even if mowed, second year individuals may still flower, albeit closer to the ground.                                            

Leaves: Up to 16 in. long and 4 in. wide, though leaves get smaller as they go up on the stem. Basal leaves are serrated, oblong, and contain prickles along the leaf’s edges.  Leaves held on flowering stalks are similarly serrated and prickly, though they are additionally deeply lobed, taper to a point, have bases that clasp around the stem, and are oppositely arranged. The clasping nature of cutleaf teasel leaves has been noted as a way for the plant to collect water and deter insects that try to derive nectar from the plant’s vegetative parts. Note that on Fuller’s teasel (Dipsacus fullonum), leaves are similarly clasping but exhibit entire to wavy margins and are unlobed.

Flowers: Cutleaf teasel flowers are small, numerous, and arranged on a cylindrical flowerhead. Each flowerhead can have between 250-1,500 flowers. Flowers are white and bloom from the bottom to top of the flowerhead from mid to late summer. Each bloom only lasts for one day. Due to the petals/sepals being conjoined, they take on a tubular shape. Take care to avoid the sharp bracts located at the bottom of each flowerhead.

Seeds: Oblong and four-sided. Medium to dark brown at maturity. Individual plants have been known to produce up to 2,000 seeds; each of them remaining viable in the seedbank for a minimum of two years.

Damage & Concern

Due to their prolific seeding abilities, cutleaf teasel can easily spread outwards from a singular plant. Although most seeds will simply drop off the plant to the ground below, other dispersal mechanisms are made possible by their small size. Other methods include water, bird droppings, and transport by the shoes of pedestrians or the tires of vehicles.

In other states, dense colonies of cutleaf teasel have been known to crowd out native biodiversity, effectively transforming their surrounding landscape. The Missouri Department of Conservation has noted that this species is an even more aggressive colonizer than its close relative, Fuller’s teasel (Dipsacus fullonum).

Management

Due to its ability to regenerate through rhizome fragments and its ability to remain in the seedbank for multiple years, management of cutleaf teasel requires thorough, repeat treatment. When possible, the best practice for removal is digging or pulling young plants in the spring while getting as much, if not all the roots in the process. This will prevent any chance for seed dispersal and is minimally invasive to the surrounding soil.

If coming upon a more mature stand of plants, it may be more effective to cut flowering heads just as they begin to bloom, approximately in midsummer. Cutleaf teasel is well known for putting out flower heads even after being mowed in the spring, so timing for this form of control is essential.

If deemed appropriate, herbicides can be applied either alone or in combination with the method above. triclopyr and glyphosate have both been recorded to be effective treatments, with triclopyr being a slightly more selective herbicide as it doesn’t target monocots. Always refer to state regulations and the herbicide label prior to application.

Monitoring or Reporting

As a Tier 2 in LIISMA’s Early Detection and Rapid Response program, we urge you to please report any sightings of cutleaf teasel to iMap or iNaturalist. Your observations are key to our mission, as they allow us to respond to emerging populations before becoming a larger threat to New York. To gain a better understanding of how we assign tiers to species, see this article.

iMapInvasives is a network for invasive species reporting, allowing concerned parties like LIISMA to discern where invasive species may be popping up, or their geographic extent. Similarly, iNaturalist functions as a biodiversity reporting platform for all kinds of living things—native or non-native—and can help anyone identify and share what species are inhabiting a given area. 

If you are interested in playing a bigger part in protecting our local flora and fauna, consider joining LIISMA’s Invasive Species Spotter Program! This program teaches you how to spot emerging invasive species as they arise, giving you valuable detection skills against occurrences of invasive species that were not previously on LIISMA’s radar.

References

Go Botany. (2025) Dipsacus laciniatus—cut-leaved teasel. Native Plant Trust. https://gobotany.nativeplanttrust.org/species/dipsacus/laciniatus/

Gucker, C. (2009) Dipsacus fullonum, D. laciniatus. In: Fire Effects Information System. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service: Rocky Mountain Research Station, Fire Sciences Laboratory. https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/dipspp/all.html

Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). (2025) Cutleaf Teasel. https://www.mda.state.mn.us/cutleaf-teasel

Minnesota Department of Agriculture (MDA). (2025) Common and Cutleaf Teasels. University of Minnesota Extension, Conservation Corps of Minnesota. https://bugwoodcloud.org/mura/mipn/assets/File/Educational%20Resources/Common%20and%20Cutleaf%20Teasel%20Notice%205_20%20WEB.pdf

Missouri Department of Conservation. (2025) Common and Cut-leaved Teasel Control. https://mdc.mo.gov/trees-plants/invasive-plants/common-cut-leaved-teasel-control

National Park Service. (2025) Exotic Species: Cutleaf Teasel. https://www.nps.gov/articles/cutleaf-teasel.htm

New York Flora Atlas. (2025) Dipsacus laciniatus. New York Flora Association. https://newyork.plantatlas.usf.edu/plant.aspx?id=1238

New York Invasive Species (IS) Information. (2025) Cut-leaf Teasel. https://nyis.info/species/cut-leaf-teasel/#background

Weedy Wildflowers of Illinois. (2025) Cut-leaved Teasel. Illinois Wildflowers. https://www.illinoiswildflowers.info/weeds/plants/cutleaf_teasel.htm