A common and easily recognizeable weed, growing to a height of 5 - 50 cm.

Description

Distinguishing Features - Leaves: 5 - 40 cm long, lanceolate, broadest near tip, with jagged, backward-pointing teeth. Flowers: 2 - 3.8 cm wide, with short outer bracts, longer inner bracts, curling back when fruits mature; ray type. Fruit: seed-like, gray or olive brown, 4.5 mm long, upper portion is rough, and tipped by a stalk, bearing, white, feathery bristles at the end. Stem: hollow, milky.

Habitat

Originally from Europe; widespread throughout Eurasia North America; on lawns, pastures, roadsides and fields.

Notes

The popular name "Dandelion" comes from dent de lion, French for "lion's tooth," referring to the toothed leaves which can be made into coffee and wine, and eaten as a salad. To make dandelion coffee, roast the roots for four hours or until dark brown and cracking. Then grind them and prepare as you would regular coffee.

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