Dandelion – Taraxacum officinale
Taraxacum officinale Weber in Wiggers
Asteraceae (Aster family)
MI Status
Non-native
Life cycle
Rosette-forming simple perennial.
Leaves
All leaves originate from a basal rosette. Leaves are oblong to spatula-shaped, ranging from 2 to 10 inches long with deep, backward-pointing lobes. Leaves remain green year round and exude a milky sap when damaged.
Stems
Vegetative stems are not visible aboveground. Forms a deep, thick taproot.
Flowers and fruit
Bright yellow, solitary flower heads consisting of only ray flowers are 1 to 2 inches wide and found at the ends of unbranched, hollow, leafless flowering stalks. The seed is enclosed in a single-seeded, wind-disseminated fruit that forms in a globe-shaped collection.
Reproduction
Seeds and new shoots from a taproot.
![Dandelion plant](/pestid/uploads/images/Dandelion-plant-225x300.jpg)
![Dandelion mature flower](/pestid/uploads/images/Dandelion-mature-flower-300x225.jpg)
![Dandelion new seedling](/pestid/uploads/images/Dandelion-new-seedling-300x232.jpg)