Nipplewort flowers in mid summer and often continues through into Autumn with both buds and flowers. In the very warm winter years of 1989/90, I found some in flower in all the winter months - even in March.

It was once assumed that this plant could cure the ulcers which appeared near women's breasts and the name Papillaris was attributed to the plant. The translation of this into Nipplewort is what gave the plant its name and it stuck as the bare buds look a bit like nipples.

Lapsana communis is found throughout the British Isles and Ireland only becoming a little scarce in the high mountainous areas of Scotland.

Helsby verge, Cheshire 18th September 2009

Added on December 24th 2004, updated 19th March 2010