Succeeds in any moderately fertile damp to wet soil in full sun. The flowering heads smell like rosin or cedar when they are burnt. The seed coats have reflexed prickles which allow them to adhere to clothing, animal fur etc. When growing on the edge a pond, these seeds have been known to kill goldfish by adhering to their gills.

Young leaves - cooked.

Seed - sow in situ during early spring and only just cover the seed. So long as the soil does not dry out, the seed usually germinates in 2 - 3 weeks at 15°c.

Ditches, pond and lake margins, sides of streams etc.