Stickseed

Hackelia virginia  (formerly Lappula virginiana)

A native biennial, Stickseed spreads by seeds that attach themselves to clothing or animal fur. In the first year after germinating, it forms a basal rosette of large, heart-shaped leaves up to 6 inches long. In the second year, it sends up many-branched stems bearing small lance-shaped leaves (about 3 inches long) and racemes of spaced-out tiny white flowers; each flower is about 1/8 inch across and has five rounded petals. These bloom a few at a time and are therefore even more inconspicuous.  After blooming, each flower turns into a nearly spherical seed pod, less than 1/4 inch across, that is covered with hooked spines that allow it to attach to passing animals for seed dispersal.  

2-4 feet, partial sun.

Summer (July-September).

A raceme with (center) a spherical seed pod hanging from it; it will later turn brown.

23 July 2020.

Stickseed, 23 July 2020.

The rangy, many-branched growth habit of Stickseed in its second year.

23 July 2020.