Flatspine stickseed

Lappula occidentalis

About the Plant

Flatspine stickseed, one of our earlier, native, annual spring wildflowers, lives up to its name. The small, spined fruit will stick to your socks, your pants, and your dog.

Flatspine stickseed has tiny white to pale blue flowers and an upright form, up to 2 feet, but usually shorter. Before it flowers and fruits, this stickseed is easily confused with wingnut cryptantha and common fiddleneck. The fruit forms as the flower stem elongates. The barbed spines make the plant easy to identify

Notes: You may see Lappula redowskii or Lappula redowski var. occidentalis used as the scientific name for this plant.

More Information

Map of distribution in US (as Lappula redowskii. Areas marked as pale green indicate the plant was brought into the area, it was not originally native.)

Technical botanical description from SEINet

ID Characteristics

This plant is in the Boraginaceae - the borage family.
Lappula occidentali
Flatspine stickseed is a tall, slender plant that can grow to 2 feet but is usually shorter. The initial stem branches near the top when flowering begins. Later, additional stems may grow from the base.
Lappula occidentali
The leaves and stems are hairy and may have a slight tinge of red. The alternate leaves are linear and may be up to an inch long, becoming smaller toward the top of the plant. The leaves are held upright and close to the stem.
Lappula occidentali
The flowers of flatstem stickseed are about 1/8 inch wide, with 5 rounded petals that are fused together at their base.
Lappula occidentali
The flowers are white or pale blue with a pale yellow center. New flowers appear as the flower stalk elongates. New flower stalks branch out from the base of leaves.
The nutlets (fruits) of flatspine stickseed are distinctive. Each has a single row of protrusions around the edge, each protrusion ending in a barb. TheĀ nutlets are about 1/8 inch long, with one to four nutlets grouped together.