Arizona Wild Flowers
Wildflower Pictures And Photos

Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale

Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale Close Up	Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale Close Up
Common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale "Cotton Like" Seed Pod	Common Dandelion, Seed Pod Wind Blows Seeds Everywhere!

Common Dandelion Taraxacum officinale, Sunflower or Aster Family ( Asteraceae ), Sometimes in the Composite Family (Compositae), Common Dandelion. Common Dandelion typically forms a low growing, perennial herb, prostrate to mounding rosette plant, usually 8 to 12 inches tall and wide, and normally wider than tall. The heads are solitary, while the hollow stem is erect having basal leaves, that are usually deeply notched and lobed. While we would never suggest eating this plant, dandelion (the entire plant preparation) has been used by many world wide cultures for stimulating appetite and for relieving stomach fullness and gas (dyspepsia). Dandelion leaf has also been used for stimulating the appetite, and for promoting water loss and blood circulation. It has also been used for gallstones and arthritis. The leaves are also sometimes eaten as food. On the Arizona Prohibited Entry List. Height: 8 to 12 inches tall and wide. Flowers: Yellow, ray flowers are that are 5 - notched at the tip. There are 100 to 300 in each head. Blooming Time: Mid - February through May. Can bloom year round. Seeds: Seeds, which are, on average, 3mm long by 2 mm wide, are equipped with a small parachute of hairs, that can carry them over large distances in strong winds. Leaves: The leaves are 2 - 12 inches long, simple and basal, entire or lobed, forming a rosette above the central taproot. Found: All of North America except northern Canada. Elevation: 0 - 9500 Feet. Habitat: Fields and waste areas. Miscellaneous: Flowering Photos Taken March 31, 2003.