Teasel – 2 litre pot

This is a hardy biennial plant so it flowers every other year. Teasel is probably best-known for its brown, prickly stems and conical seed heads, which persist long after the plants themselves have died back for the winter, we love them for their architectural value, but we like to leave all the decorative seed heads where they grow for as long as possible. In summer when teasels are in flower, the spiky flower heads are mostly green with rings of purple flowers.  The conical flowerheads of this tall native are loved by bees, while the seedheads, which last well after the flowers have faded, are sought-after by goldfinches (and florists). A robust plant, it is a common site in grassland or roadside verges, where it will flourish in a wide range of soils.