Taraxacum officinale
Common Name(s):
- Phonetic Spelling
- ta-RAKS-uh-kum oh-fiss-ih-NAH-lee
- This plant has low severity poison characteristics.
- See below
- Description
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Broadleaf perennial weed, fast-spreading, generally spread by seed, but once established are not affected by pre-emergent herbicides. Not generally used in the home landscape. They form deep taproots and the whole plant contains a milky latex sap. The common name dandelion comes from the French 'dent de lion' which translates to "lion's tooth" referring to the deep green leaves that are toothed.
Dandelions have many positive features, such as:
- They provide nectar and pollen to honeybees and other beneficial insects, particularly important in early spring when they are one of the only plants in bloom
- Their leaves, roots, and flowers are all edible. Young flowers taste like honey but they become bitter when they mature. Use flowers in wine, jam, and salads. Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked; the youngest, greenest leaves at the center are best for raw eating. The root is a coffee substitute.
- Their roots can break up compact soils.
- Their seed head is a beautiful puffball and delights young and old when they blow on it to disperse the seed
VIDEO Created by Homegrown featuring Travis Birdsell, County Extension Director and Extension Agent for Ashe County Extension
- Profile Video:
- See this plant in the following landscape:
- Vegetable, Herb and Mostly Native Pollinator Garden
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
- Cultivars / Varieties:
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- Tags:
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Attributes:
- Genus:
- Taraxacum
- Species:
- officinale
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Uses (Ethnobotany):
- The root was dried and roasted and used as a coffee alternative during the second world war. It has also been used medicinally.
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Country Or Region Of Origin:
- Eurasia
- Wildlife Value:
- Flowers provide nectar to pollinators and bees.
- Edibility:
- Leaves and flowers are used in salads and stir-fries as well as jams, wines, and teas. Young leaves are best for raw eating and older leaves are better cooked. Roots are roasted and used as a coffee alternative.
- Dimensions:
- Height: 0 ft. 2 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
- Width: 2 ft. 0 in. - 0 ft. 6 in.
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Whole Plant Traits:
- Plant Type:
- Edible
- Herbaceous Perennial
- Weed
- Wildflower
- Growth Rate:
- Rapid
- Maintenance:
- High
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Cultural Conditions:
- Light:
- Full sun (6 or more hours of direct sunlight a day)
- Available Space To Plant:
- Less than 12 inches
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Fruit:
- Fruit Color:
- Brown/Copper
- White
- Fruit Type:
- Achene
- Fruit Length:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Width:
- < 1 inch
- Fruit Description:
- Fluffy downy round seeds heads are dispersed by wind
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Flowers:
- Flower Color:
- Gold/Yellow
- Flower Inflorescence:
- Head
- Flower Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Flower Bloom Time:
- Spring
- Flower Shape:
- Radial
- Flower Petals:
- more than 20 petals/rays
- Flower Size:
- 1-3 inches
- Flower Description:
- Bright yellow ray flowers with toothed tips appear throughout the year on second-year plants. They are singular heads on their stems and the flowers close in the evening.
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Leaves:
- Leaf Color:
- Green
- Leaf Value To Gardener:
- Edible
- Leaf Type:
- Compound (Pinnately , Bipinnately, Palmately)
- Leaf Arrangement:
- Rosulate
- Leaf Shape:
- Oblanceolate
- Leaf Margin:
- Dentate
- Lobed
- Hairs Present:
- No
- Leaf Length:
- 3-6 inches
- Leaf Width:
- 1-3 inches
- Leaf Description:
- Deeply toothed, with backward-pointing teeth or lobes. Oblanceolate shape form a basal rosette.
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Stem:
- Stem Color:
- Green
- Stem Is Aromatic:
- No
- Stem Description:
- Hollow stems are reproductive (scapes) exude a milky sap they are leafless and unbranched
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Landscape:
- Landscape Location:
- Lawn
- Naturalized Area
- Landscape Theme:
- Edible Garden
- Design Feature:
- Mass Planting
- Attracts:
- Bees
- Pollinators
- Resistance To Challenges:
- Compaction
- Problems:
- Contact Dermatitis
- Weedy
