Teasel (dipsacus fullonum)

These tall, prickly plants are great for wildlife. In the summer their purple flowers provide nectar and pollen for bees and in the autumn their seeds are a favourite of goldfinches and other birds. Teasels are also semi carnivorous plants. The leaves at the top of the stem, below the flower head, collect rainwater and also trap small insects, providing the plant with an important source of water and nutrients from the decaying bodies of insects.