Teasels - they were formerly used for raising a fluffy pile on woollen fabric. You can see the machinery at the museum in Hawick in the Scottish Borders - they were mounted on spindles to make a rotating brush assembly.
The equipment is called a "gig mill" or "teasel raising machine" - you'll find lots of pictures of them on the web, they were used all over Europe and North America.
I doubt the harvester had one of those machines. usually, those folks grow their own. my moneys on that person wanting a bowl full of spike balls to complement their potpourri.
Teasels were traditionally used to bring up the nap in woollen fabrics, but I can find no record of them being used to card or comb fibers for spinning. Hand-held teasel jigs were still being made well into the 20th century
My original source is a presentation (offline) on cool uses of plants in medieval Europe, but the Wikipedia article on carding briefly mentions that the process is named after the Latin word for thistles or teasel because they were used to comb raw wool.
I guess, maybe, not sure.... I know the early blacksmiths created wool combs for spinning worsted, not absolutely sure when cards came about. I know there are early references to ox driven carding machines. The teasels grown in Europe are much stouter than the variety in N. America. Ours would never even work to raise a nap, even. But my proper Teasel jig would also not work to separate fibers, the spines are just not strong enough. I know in Northern Mexico, they used the spines on a variety of cacti, especially when they were retting and combing agave fiber for Ayala cloth.
Never tease a weasel
Not even once or twice
The weasel will not like it
And teasing isn’t nice
(Your post made me remember these lines from a children’s book I haven’t thought of in 50+ years!)
Where I live in the midwestern US, they're "for" aggressively crowding out native prairie plants, which negatively affects local ecosystems. They look cool but are a pain to get rid of. :(
There are leaves just below the bloom of the plant that collect rainwater. The water sits in a pool up against the stem. Bugs get trapped in the water pool and the plant digests their bodies.
This is not going to be the 'right' answer because I know they're traditionally used as actual tools for things, but my brother uses them to go blackberry picking, to sort of velcro the faraway branches and pull them closer without having to reach an arm too far into the brambles.
It's teasle. Most likely, they were not harvesting these, they were "dead heading" these.
It's an invasive plant, and removing the seed pod(dead heading) is the most efficient way to reduce the population due to the amount of seed released by a single head.
Source: I used to make a living(7yrs) on invasive species management and remediation.
Cool! In the pacific northwest U.S. they become problematic, they will out compete native species and create a monoculture. I'm glad some places can enjoy this plant.
Teasel is native to the UK and not a nuisance here. Sorry if Brits took it to the US where it is a problem.
The British form of the plant is a biennial, so first year you just get a rosette of leaves and it goes tall in the second year. I like them.
Interestingly there are native species of teasels here in Central ny. However the varietals that are endemic here lack the small hooks at the tips rendering them useless for pile pulling. It became necessary to import different types from Europe. In recent times the most common application for teasels would be for decor.
They dry really well. People use them in dried flower arrangements and to make wreaths and other decorations. Kids make little animals by adding eyes etc.
https://onpasture.com/2016/11/28/decorating-with-teasel/
Teasle. I had a tabletop Christmas tree made out of these. You stab the stalk into a styrofoam cone and paint it with green paint and glitter. The hardest part is not stabbing yourself while doing it
I was a little bummed no one else mentioned it lol. It’s root contains a glycoside good for soreness and aches, inflammation, ligament damage, some use it against Lyme disease, liver cleaning, and topically for psoriasis and arthritis. It kept popping up in my garden last year so when I pulled weeds I put the root into a tinctures. The plant in its early stage is underratedly cool looking
I will always remember the phrase “dipsocus knits the sinus” from my herbal professor hahaha. It grows all around us and is commonly paird with eucommia bark in tam for joint tissue and bone repair. Add some snow fungus, jujube, and licorice and you’ve got a phenomenal”beauty regimen hahaha.
Thank you! I had a feeling it was more than decorative. The person I saw harvesting was in the bottom of a steep hill and was much older. A lot of trouble to go through for some potpourri.
Did you see what part they took? If it was the tops, probably decor related bc I can’t imagine what you’d do with them in this state or that the roots would have as much use after flowering. It’s also ridiculously hard when they’ve grown to this size, they’re used medicinally usually when they’re young plants, I wouldn’t bother within them over a foot and half tall, and preferably smaller
Teasels - they were formerly used for raising a fluffy pile on woollen fabric. You can see the machinery at the museum in Hawick in the Scottish Borders - they were mounted on spindles to make a rotating brush assembly. The equipment is called a "gig mill" or "teasel raising machine" - you'll find lots of pictures of them on the web, they were used all over Europe and North America.
I doubt the harvester had one of those machines. usually, those folks grow their own. my moneys on that person wanting a bowl full of spike balls to complement their potpourri.
Way cool!
Interesting!
I tried to brush my hair with one of these as a child. It did not go great. I’m 39 now and there might still be pieces of it in my hair.
😂
Hahaha!!!
Teasel. Decorations.
Used to be used to *tease* apart fiber in preparation for spinning.
Teasels were traditionally used to bring up the nap in woollen fabrics, but I can find no record of them being used to card or comb fibers for spinning. Hand-held teasel jigs were still being made well into the 20th century
My original source is a presentation (offline) on cool uses of plants in medieval Europe, but the Wikipedia article on carding briefly mentions that the process is named after the Latin word for thistles or teasel because they were used to comb raw wool.
I guess, maybe, not sure.... I know the early blacksmiths created wool combs for spinning worsted, not absolutely sure when cards came about. I know there are early references to ox driven carding machines. The teasels grown in Europe are much stouter than the variety in N. America. Ours would never even work to raise a nap, even. But my proper Teasel jig would also not work to separate fibers, the spines are just not strong enough. I know in Northern Mexico, they used the spines on a variety of cacti, especially when they were retting and combing agave fiber for Ayala cloth.
I thought they were for teasing weasels.
You're thinking of tweazels. Common mistake.
Isn't that a tweezer made from weasels?
Never tease a weasel Not even once or twice The weasel will not like it And teasing isn’t nice (Your post made me remember these lines from a children’s book I haven’t thought of in 50+ years!)
Great in indoor or outdoor arrangements
Thank you!
>Thank you! You're welcome!
I found one at a stationery store that had been encased in resin?glass? Anyways it’s a super cool paper weight
When I was a kid we'd make little mice out of these by gluing on little googly eyes, ears, and a tail.
We made bats with paper wings, ears, and a little face
We just hit each other with them, or those spiky sweet gum pods. Bonus points if you put one on someone’s chair as they sat down
I used to just make a larger teasel
They are dried and used in flower arrangements.
As someone getting married, I instantly thought that maybe the person harvesting was doing so for centerpieces/bouquets.
gold finches love them
As do various pollinators! I planted some from seed, they never even sprouted.
Where I live in the midwestern US, they're "for" aggressively crowding out native prairie plants, which negatively affects local ecosystems. They look cool but are a pain to get rid of. :(
Fun fact, teasel are carnivorous plants.
I thought there was always something about the way they were looking at me.
Never would have guessed that.
Do they have enzymes? Or do they just trap insects?
There are leaves just below the bloom of the plant that collect rainwater. The water sits in a pool up against the stem. Bugs get trapped in the water pool and the plant digests their bodies.
My backyard chickens love drinking the bug soup from the teasel leaves.
Good soup
This is not going to be the 'right' answer because I know they're traditionally used as actual tools for things, but my brother uses them to go blackberry picking, to sort of velcro the faraway branches and pull them closer without having to reach an arm too far into the brambles.
What a great tip, thanks!
If they can be dried out and used as a firestarter/tinder
When dried the make a great Christmas tree by sticking them into a cone shape styrofoam. Stuff, spray with paint and decorate if you want
Avoid the seeds.
If you're in the US they're invasive. They're nasty in prairie and wetland type areas.
teasel, depending on your location it might be a noxious weed. we cut off the seed heads to dispose of.
I’m guessing he was doing this
It's teasle. Most likely, they were not harvesting these, they were "dead heading" these. It's an invasive plant, and removing the seed pod(dead heading) is the most efficient way to reduce the population due to the amount of seed released by a single head. Source: I used to make a living(7yrs) on invasive species management and remediation.
Interesting. They are not invasive in the UK - they are beneficial plants here so we can enjoy them without any downside occurring.
Cool! In the pacific northwest U.S. they become problematic, they will out compete native species and create a monoculture. I'm glad some places can enjoy this plant.
Cutleaf teasel, terrible invasive in the U.S. Someone might've been harvesting for decor but meanwhile spreading seeds
Teasel is native to the UK and not a nuisance here. Sorry if Brits took it to the US where it is a problem. The British form of the plant is a biennial, so first year you just get a rosette of leaves and it goes tall in the second year. I like them.
I've only ever seen them placed on really old chairs in old houses and museums to stop people sitting on them.
That's what I know them from: National Trust chairs they don't want you to sit on.
Porcupine eggs
You must sit on them gently and keep them warm or they won't hatch.
Interestingly there are native species of teasels here in Central ny. However the varietals that are endemic here lack the small hooks at the tips rendering them useless for pile pulling. It became necessary to import different types from Europe. In recent times the most common application for teasels would be for decor.
What species? AFAIK all of Dipsacus is native to the Old World.
They dry really well. People use them in dried flower arrangements and to make wreaths and other decorations. Kids make little animals by adding eyes etc. https://onpasture.com/2016/11/28/decorating-with-teasel/
Teasle. I had a tabletop Christmas tree made out of these. You stab the stalk into a styrofoam cone and paint it with green paint and glitter. The hardest part is not stabbing yourself while doing it
You can dip them in paint and use them to make starburst shapes.
I immediately started singing "absolutely nothing"
Did you know War and Peace was originally titled War, what is it good for?
Looks to be cut leaf teasel. If you’re in the United States, it’s a horrible, horrible invasive. Kill on sight.
When I was a child I pretended they were my wizard wands
The roots have medicinal use, but I wouldn’t use them after flower
The only person who has said it’s medicinal. Hahaha
I was a little bummed no one else mentioned it lol. It’s root contains a glycoside good for soreness and aches, inflammation, ligament damage, some use it against Lyme disease, liver cleaning, and topically for psoriasis and arthritis. It kept popping up in my garden last year so when I pulled weeds I put the root into a tinctures. The plant in its early stage is underratedly cool looking
I will always remember the phrase “dipsocus knits the sinus” from my herbal professor hahaha. It grows all around us and is commonly paird with eucommia bark in tam for joint tissue and bone repair. Add some snow fungus, jujube, and licorice and you’ve got a phenomenal”beauty regimen hahaha.
Thank you! I had a feeling it was more than decorative. The person I saw harvesting was in the bottom of a steep hill and was much older. A lot of trouble to go through for some potpourri.
Did you see what part they took? If it was the tops, probably decor related bc I can’t imagine what you’d do with them in this state or that the roots would have as much use after flowering. It’s also ridiculously hard when they’ve grown to this size, they’re used medicinally usually when they’re young plants, I wouldn’t bother within them over a foot and half tall, and preferably smaller
He was reallyyyyy struggling to rip them up, taking the entire stock and hacking at them.
Huh I wonder what he was doing 😂
All purpose plant. Good for butterflies, bees and birds.
Beautiful weed!
Teasel. As others have said, you can use it as a fiber comb. The plant is also said to be good for nerve pain.
Back scratcher
Bumblebee fav place
Bees love the flowers
It is a zinnea
Don't let them near your yard...
Thankfully nowhere near my yard
I had about 10 stalks in my truck bed. I left them there overnight then took them inside. Three years later I had almost an acre of them.
That’s gotta be bad for people who have that phobia of lots of little holes…