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Common Name: Spiny Stickseed

General Information

Lappula squarrosa is an annual plant that can grow up to 0.60 metres tall.
It is harvested from the wild for local use as a food and medicine

Known Hazards

The leaves and stems are covered in stiff hairs which are irritating to skin[].

Botanical References

Range

Europe - most areas except the extreme north and west.

Habitat

Roadsides, waste places, around buildings and overgrazed ranges and cultivated fields[].

Properties

Medicinal Rating
Habit	Annual
Height	0.60 m
Pollinators	Insects
Cultivation Status	Wild

Cultivation Details

Best grown in a sunny position.
A prolific seed producer, the seeds are readily spread on animal hair and clothing due to the hooked spines on the seeds[]. The plant has the potential to become a serious weed.
The plant has a characteristic smell similar to a mouse infested building[].

Edible Uses

The seed contains up to 25% oil - this is rich in essential fatty acids, including stearidonic acid[].

Medicinal

The oil in the seed is antiinflammatory[]. The oil contains 18% stearidonic acid - this is important as a precursor in the metabolic pathway leading to the formation of longer chain fatty acids and prostaglandin and therefore plays a key role in human metabolism[].

Other Uses

None known

Propagation

Seed - sow in situ. The seed can be autumn or spring sown.