- Nature News by Marlene A. Condon
- Apr 2, 2024
One of the earliest plants to bloom in spring is the Common Dandelion, sprouting up in fields and yards and alongside roadways. It’s probably the most recognizable flower in the United States, especially to children. They are often taught to make a wish before blowing apart the perfectly formed sphere of seeds that develops at the top of the stem. Although many people think of this perennial as an uninvited and unwanted lawn weed, its bright, cheery, yellow flowers can be a welcome sight, especially after a cold, dreary winter.
The scientific name of the Common Dandelion is Taraxacum officinale (ta-RAX-a-come a-FISH-in-AL-a). Its genus name, Taraxacum, is medieval in origin and means “bitter herb”’, referring to the leaves that are sometimes used in salads. The species name, officinale, derives from Latin for “shop”, and is applied to plants that were sold for medicinal purposes.
The roots of dandelions have been roasted and ground for a caffeine-free coffee substitute in different countries during various ages, and their flower heads can be made into wine. The common name is from the French, “dent de lion”, meaning lion’s tooth, and probably refers to the teeth on the jagged leaves. Dandelions belong to the Sunflower Family.
The first sign of a Common Dandelion is a formation of irregularly toothed leaves radiating from a central point at ground level (known as a basal rosette). Shortly thereafter, a yellow flower head, up to 1½ inches across and containing 100 or more tiny flowers (called florets), rises from the center on a hollow stalk.
If the flower stalk gets cut before it sets seed, the next flower stalk will be shorter, a scheme to make it less conspicuous to grazing animals—or lawn mowers! Eventually a flower head will come up that is completely stalkless, level with the ground and far less vulnerable to decapitation. With luck, it will exist long enough to produce seeds for another generation, demonstrating a wonderful strategy for these plants to survive the many hazards of life.
Dandelion flowers are an extremely valuable food source for the first insects to emerge in the spring. Even though these plants are introduced from Europe, many insects make use of them, content to find nectar at a time when few native or cultivated plants are blooming. After pollination by a variety of insects, a “blowball” of parachuted seeds develops that is perfectly adapted to dissemination by the wind—or children!
Other animals, such as rabbits, graze upon the fresh green leaves. You should watch for the wide variety of creatures that visit this plant.
If you’re lucky, you may chance upon an entire field of Common Dandelions only recently gone to seed, each plant still holding high its orb of silky-haired achenes (small dry single-seeded fruits which remain closed at maturity). Gaze upon this sight, as it is surprisingly beautiful. It’s only after the globular clusters of seeds have begun to break up that these plants acquire a disheveled look that people love to hate.
Marlene A. Condon is the author/photographer of The Nature-friendly Garden: Creating a Backyard Haven for Plants, Wildlife, and People (Stackpole Books; information at www.marlenecondon.com). You can read her blog at https://InDefenseofNature.blogspot.com.