Taraxacum Species, Common Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Family: | Asteraceae (ass-ter-AY-see-ee) (Info) |
Genus: | Taraxacum (ta-RAKS-uh-kum) (Info) |
Species: | officinale (oh-fiss-ih-NAH-lee) (Info) |
Synonym: | Chondrilla taraxacum |
Synonym: | Leontodon taraxacum |

Category:
Perennials
Water Requirements:
Sun Exposure:
Full Sun
Foliage:
Herbaceous
Foliage Color:
Blue-Green
Height:
6-12 in. (15-30 cm)
Spacing:
15-18 in. (38-45 cm)
Hardiness:
USDA Zone 3a: to -39.9 °C (-40 °F)
USDA Zone 3b: to -37.2 °C (-35 °F)
USDA Zone 4a: to -34.4 °C (-30 °F)
USDA Zone 4b: to -31.6 °C (-25 °F)
USDA Zone 5a: to -28.8 °C (-20 °F)
USDA Zone 5b: to -26.1 °C (-15 °F)
USDA Zone 6a: to -23.3 °C (-10 °F)
USDA Zone 6b: to -20.5 °C (-5 °F)
USDA Zone 7a: to -17.7 °C (0 °F)
USDA Zone 7b: to -14.9 °C (5 °F)
USDA Zone 8a: to -12.2 °C (10 °F)
USDA Zone 8b: to -9.4 °C (15 °F)
USDA Zone 9a: to -6.6 °C (20 °F)
USDA Zone 9b: to -3.8 °C (25 °F)
USDA Zone 10a: to -1.1 °C (30 °F)
USDA Zone 10b: to 1.7 °C (35 °F)
Where to Grow:
Danger:
Handling plant may cause skin irritation or allergic reaction
Bloom Color:
Bright Yellow
Bloom Characteristics:
This plant is attractive to bees, butterflies and/or birds
Bloom Size:
Bloom Time:
Late Spring/Early Summer
Mid Summer
Late Summer/Early Fall
Other details:
May be a noxious weed or invasive
Soil pH requirements:
6.1 to 6.5 (mildly acidic)
6.6 to 7.5 (neutral)
7.6 to 7.8 (mildly alkaline)
7.9 to 8.5 (alkaline)
Patent Information:
Non-patented
Propagation Methods:
From seed; direct sow outdoors in fall
Seed Collecting:
Bag seedheads to capture ripening seed
Regional
This plant is said to grow outdoors in the following regions:
Birmingham, Alabama
Phoenix, Arizona
Malvern, Arkansas
Berkeley, California
Highgrove, California
Redwood City, California
San Mateo, California
Aurora, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
Lamar, Colorado
Springfield, Colorado
Ellendale, Delaware
Wilmington, Delaware
Daytona Beach, Florida
Washington, Illinois
Coralville, Iowa
Yale, Iowa
Barbourville, Kentucky
Benton, Kentucky
Lewisburg, Kentucky
Prospect, Kentucky
Cumberland, Maryland
Fort George G Meade, Maryland
Gloucester, Massachusetts
Milton, Massachusetts
Detroit, Michigan
Kalamazoo, Michigan
Minneapolis, Minnesota
Marietta, Mississippi
Cole Camp, Missouri
Piedmont, Missouri
Saint Robert, Missouri
Springfield, Missouri
Plainfield, New Jersey
Farmington, New Mexico
Cherryville, North Carolina
Henderson, North Carolina
Belfield, North Dakota
Bucyrus, Ohio
Galena, Ohio
Hilliard, Ohio
Edmond, Oklahoma
Brookings, Oregon
Harbor, Oregon
Greencastle, Pennsylvania
Norristown, Pennsylvania
Charleston, South Carolina
Conway, South Carolina
Crossville, Tennessee
Arlington, Texas
Dallas, Texas
Euless, Texas
Lake Dallas, Texas
Manchaca, Texas
San Antonio, Texas
Leesburg, Virginia
Bellevue, Washington
Mukilteo, Washington
show allGardeners' Notes:
Rating | Content |
---|---|
Positive | On Dec 6, 2015, Ted_B from Birmingham, AL (Zone 8a) wrote: There aren't many weeds that are as edible or healthy as the venerable dandelion. With organic food markets selling them at a premium, it makes perfect sense to simply harvest one's own. Eating them is a much easier option than struggling to eradicate them. Simply snip leaves for the stew pot or soups, and cook thoroughly to attenuate the bitterness. |
Neutral | On Apr 30, 2015, Chillybean from (Zone 5a) wrote: I do not like this plant because it doesn't belong to North America. Give me a yardful of Wild Violets, instead. :) |
Positive | On Jul 9, 2008, tashmoore from Fort George G Meade, MD wrote: Who didn't love playing with dandelions as a kid? blowing the seeds, "tests" for butter (or boys or whatever). What parent hasn't gotten at least one of these as a gift from a small child? And as a parent isn't it nice to know that if your child decides to taste test a plant this one won't be the one responsible for the hospital trip? |
Positive | On Jun 22, 2008, kryistina from (Zone 6a) wrote: A fabulous wild food, the Dandelion plant is edible in it's entirety. The young spring leaves are a great salad green, and the older leaves are great cooked or as a pot herb. The flowers are great for fritters, in any baked good, and made into wine, the roots are great in stews or roasted and ground into a coffee substitute. High in vitamins, and widely available, they are a great and tasty way to supplement a diet with a little colorful fun. |
Negative | On Apr 6, 2008, Malus2006 from Coon Rapids, MN (Zone 4a) wrote: If dandelions had most if not all of the compounds that gives it a bitter taste it would had been more of a heavily used cash crop. Many different kinds of dissimiliar crops comes from one lowly weed . The crops includes brussel sprouts, kale, and cabbage! Image doing the same thing with dandelions but as a perennial crop. |
Neutral | On Jan 25, 2008, tropicsofohio from Hilliard, OH (Zone 6b) wrote: fields of these grow here, and they look so beautiful, just not when they are in your yard. it is an all out battle to Irradicate them from my yard. still i rate it neutral, just because of all of its uses, and some even bloom in winter. (a nice surprise after no other blooms for months) |
Positive | On Aug 30, 2007, Chesler from Woburn, MA wrote: If they sold a plant like this, so easy to grow, so tolerant of abuse, so interesting and so edible, it would be a favorite. But because it comes into those putting-green lawns uninvited, it's a weed. |
Positive | On Aug 4, 2007, Sparisi1122 from Gloucester, MA wrote: They are a weed around here, but that isn't really a bad thing for me. My guinea pig loves flowers, stems, and leaves. |
Positive | On Feb 22, 2007, swissAlex from (Zone 7a) wrote: Lion's tooth is native and abundant in Switzerland. It's used to make a kind of honey from. |
Negative | On Aug 12, 2006, Joan from Belfield, ND (Zone 4a) wrote: A nasty weed here. I've bent/worn out several dandelion diggers trying to eradicate them from my yard. One of those fluffy seed heads sends numerous seeds floating in the wind to sprout in new areas. |
Neutral | On May 27, 2006, kennyso from Markham, ON (Zone 5b) wrote: They grow all over the place! They are VERY invasive, they are considered a weed here in Canada. If you would like seeds, let me know, we have plenty of them here. |
Positive | On Dec 16, 2004, BotanyDave from Norman, OK (Zone 7a) wrote: I love Dandelions! Not only do they look nice and smell good, they're also pretty tasty! |
Neutral | On Oct 28, 2004, frostweed from Josephine, Arlington, TX (Zone 8a) wrote: Dandelion, Lion's Tooth, Bitterwort, Chicoria, Fortune-Teller, Wild Endive, Puffball is Naturalized in Texas and other States and is considered an invasive plant in Texas. |
Neutral | On Jul 3, 2003, Terry from Murfreesboro, TN (Zone 7a) wrote: The common English name "Dandelion" is a derivation of the French Dent-de-Lion, ("tooth of the lion"), a reference to the deeply serrated edge of the leaves. |