Common Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Also known as Dandelion, Eurasian Dandelion, Blowball
Climate Match for your location
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A common herbaceous perennial with bright yellow flowers and deeply lobed leaves, followed by distinctive seed heads. Highly adaptable and prolific, often considered a weed in lawns and gardens.
Why grow it
Dandelion offers reliable early-season forage and food production with minimal input compared to cultivated alternatives. The entire plant is edible (leaves, roots, flowers), and it establishes readily in poor or disturbed soil where many perennials struggle. It also provides early nectar and pollen for pollinators when few other sources are available.
Watch out for
Dandelion's deep taproot can be difficult to remove entirely if eradication becomes necessary, and mature plants self-seed prolifically. In areas where you wish to maintain other herbaceous plants, regular deadheading or mowing before seed set helps prevent unwanted spread within your own property.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native Range
Eurasian
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Notable Cultivars
Common wild dandelion (Taraxacum officinale subsp. officinale) dominates; improved culinary cultivars like 'Améliioré' and 'Pissenlit' are bred for larger, less bitter leaves.
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
A common herbaceous perennial with bright yellow flowers and deeply lobed leaves, followed by distinctive seed heads. Highly adaptable and prolific, often considered a weed in lawns and gardens.
Climate Match for your location
See how well Common Dandelion grows in your area.
Enter your ZIP code and we'll show you how this plant fits your local climate.
Why grow it
Dandelion offers reliable early-season forage and food production with minimal input compared to cultivated alternatives. The entire plant is edible (leaves, roots, flowers), and it establishes readily in poor or disturbed soil where many perennials struggle. It also provides early nectar and pollen for pollinators when few other sources are available.
Watch out for
Dandelion's deep taproot can be difficult to remove entirely if eradication becomes necessary, and mature plants self-seed prolifically. In areas where you wish to maintain other herbaceous plants, regular deadheading or mowing before seed set helps prevent unwanted spread within your own property.
Overview
- Form
- Growth Rate
- Size
- Dormancy
- Family
- Asteraceae
Native Range
Eurasian
Seasonality
Bloom Season
Harvest Season
Edible Parts
Season of Interest
Herb
Soft non-woody plants of the field layer.
Succession Role
Tolerances & Soil
Flood Tolerance
Deer Resistance
Inferred from USDA browse palatability
pH Range
Soil Texture
Establishment & Care
- Establishment
- Maintenance
- Years to Bearing
- Propagation
Similar herbs you might consider:
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Companion Planting
Notable Cultivars
Common wild dandelion (Taraxacum officinale subsp. officinale) dominates; improved culinary cultivars like 'Améliioré' and 'Pissenlit' are bred for larger, less bitter leaves.