A strong and long taproot is what makes it difficult for gardeners to remove the dandelion in one go. However, this plant is not only known as a weed, but also as a true medicinal plant. Here is an overview of their characteristics and a detailed description!

Dandelion is a very hardy plant that thrives in the most unlikely of places

In short: the characteristics of the dandelion

  • Plant family and genus: daisy family, dandelion family
  • Botanical name: Taraxacum officinale
  • Origin: Northern Hemisphere
  • Occurrence: Meadows, fields, sparse forests
  • Size: 10 to 50 cm
  • Growth: upright, herbaceous
  • Leaves: Rosette, lanceolate, coarsely toothed
  • Flowering time: April to June
  • Flower: daisy flower, yellow
  • Fruit: achenes, whitish
  • seeds: capsule-shaped, black
  • Location: sun to semi-shade
  • Effect: laxative, diuretic

Other names and location claims

You may also know the dandelion under the names dog flower, cow flower, milk stick, chain flower, piss flower, dandelion, buttercup, sun vortex or monk's head. This annual to perennial plant, of which there are over 400 species, has many names.

The dandelion can often be found on fallow land. But it also likes to settle in meadows, roadsides, fields, sparse forests and gardens. Even between narrow stone joints and in masonry, it appears from time to time.

A closer look at the dandelion: structure and appearance

Anyone who has met the dandelion will quickly recognize it. It has a herbaceous growth and can reach up to 50 cm. A hollow stalk filled with a white milky sap shoots up in spring. A rosette of leaves forms below. The individual leaves are up to 30 cm long, are lanceolate in shape and have coarsely toothed edges.

Bright yellow flowers

The yellow flowers, which appear from the beginning of April, are extremely distinctive. They are terminal on the smooth stems:

  • Ray florets, no tubular florets
  • 200 to 300 ray florets per inflorescence
  • cup shaped
  • Rich pollen and nectar supply (interesting for beekeepers)
  • hermaphrodite

Dandelions - heaps of seeds

After the blossoms, the stage is clear for the dandelion seeds. They too are unmistakable and every child knows how to name them. They are commonly referred to as dandelions. Each seed head looks like a fluffy ball. It is a radiating crown of hairs made up of numerous seeds.

The individual seeds are equipped with small parachutes. As a result, they are easily spread by the wind. Each seed is black and oblong in shape. Self-seeding is not the exception, but rather the rule.

Toxic Properties?

What is the white secretion stuck in the stems? Attention: It is the so-called milky juice. It contains an irritating to mildly toxic compound called taraxacin. It can cause irritation and, if consumed, can cause liver problems and nausea, among other things.

tips

If you want to use the dandelion for salads, etc., it is better to keep your hands off the older leaves and stems and collect the young, tender leaves.

Category:

Herbs