All flowers
Common Dandelion Wikimedia Commons
Asteraceae

Common Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Hope and resilience.

Family
Asteraceae
Genus
Taraxacum
Native to
Europe, Asia
Bloom season
Spring, Summer, Fall
Type
perennial herb
Height
4-12 in
Sunlight
full sun
Soil
any
Water
low to moderate
Hardiness
3-10
Lifespan
perennial

Did you know

  • Each yellow 'flower' is actually a composite of 100-300 individual ray florets.
  • Dandelion seeds can travel over 60 miles on a strong wind, carried by their feathery parachutes.
  • Every part of the plant is edible — the leaves are used in salads, the roots roasted as a coffee substitute, and the flowers made into wine.
  • The taproot can reach 3 feet deep, mining nutrients that surface-rooted plants can't reach.
  • The name comes from the French 'dent de lion' (lion's tooth), referring to the jagged leaf edges.

Color meanings

0

wishes

1

perseverance

2

childhood joy

Uses

  • edible greens
  • herbal medicine
  • wildlife gardens
  • lawn forage