In Germany Xanthium strumarium is spread e.g. in the Middle Rhine Valley, on the Moselle and in Hesse (Vogelsberg, Edersee).
The Cockleburs which in Mannheim are growing distant from water, e.g. those from quarter Waldhof, have the prickles slightly more laxely arranged on the fruits than those of other sites which are growing closer to Rhine or Neckar, e.g. Rheinau port, the meadow at the Neckar near the transmitter tower, or Friesenheimer Insel. Usually the base of the leaves is evenly truncated, and the stem and fruits tinged with reddish brown, while the base of the leaves of the plants growing closer to the water is rather narrowed towards the pediole, and the whole plants are usually bright green. Those shown here might rather belong to Xanthium strumarium although they are not typical strumarium, while the other Cockleburs rather correspond to Xanthium albinum, which has come into being hybridogenously.