Plant 🌼
🌼
Taraxacum officinale
| Size | 5–40 cm tall From ankle-height to knee-height |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | Perennial; individual plants live 5–10 years |
| Rarity | Common |
| M vs F | N/A — reproduces without pollination (apomixis) |
| Habitat | Grassland, road verges, lawns, wasteland — almost any open ground |
| Best time | March–October; early flowers are vital for emerging spring bees |
| Conservation | UK: Green LC |
Did you know?
Dandelion seeds can travel over 100 km on the wind — their parachute-like pappus exploits turbulence to stay airborne far longer than any engineered equivalent
Dandelion seeds can travel over 100 km on the wind — their parachute-like pappus exploits turbulence to stay airborne far longer than any engineered equivalent
More for experts
Dandelions reproduce by apomixis — producing fertile seeds without pollination, meaning a single plant can colonise entirely new ground alone
Often confused with
Cat's-ear (branched stem, smaller flower heads), Hawkbit (branched stem, hairy leaves)
Cat's-ear (branched stem, smaller flower heads), Hawkbit (branched stem, hairy leaves)