Common Dandelion
Taraxacum sect.
- Native to:
- Albania, Austria, Azores, Baleares, Baltic States, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Canary Is., Corse, Czechia-Slovakia, Denmark, Finland, Føroyar, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Krym, Lebanon-Syria, Madeira, Morocco, Netherlands, North Caucasus, Norway, NW. Balkan Pen., Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Sicilia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Transcaucasus, Türkiye, Ukraine
Taxonomy
- Division:
- Magnoliophyta | - Flowering plants
- Family:
- Asteraceae
- Genus:
- Taraxacum
- Species:
- Taraxacum sect.
- USDA Symbol:
- TAOF
Growth Characteristics
- Life Cycle:
- Perennial
- Growth Habit:
- Forb/herb
- Height:
- 45 cm
- Drought Tolerance:
- Medium
- Bloom Months:
- mar,apr,may,jun,jul,aug,sep,oct
- Bloom Colors:
- yellow
Host Plant for Caterpillars
Agrotis orthogonia, Allen's Aphelia (Aphelia alleniana), Anhimella contrahens, Apamea niveivenosa, Army cutworm (Euxoa auxiliaris), Athetis miranda, Atlantic arches (Lacanobia atlantica), Autographa biloba, Autographa rubida, Banded Tiger Moth (Apantesis vittata), black clouded moth (Choephora fungorum), Bronzed Cutworm (Nephelodes minians), Cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni), Cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia), Celery Looper (Anagrapha falcifera), Cerastis tenebrifera, common eupithecia (Eupithecia miserulata), Common Looper Moth (Autographa precationis), Confused Eusarca (Eusarca confusaria), Dark-barred Twin-spot Carpet (Xanthorhoe ferrugata), dingy cutworm (Feltia jaculifera), Euagrotis illapsa, Euxoa infausta, Euxoa intrita, explicit arches moth (Lacinipolia explicata), Five-spotted hawk moth (Manduca quinquemaculatus), Garden Tiger Moth (Arctia caja), Grammia doris, Grammia virguncula, Grateful Midget (Elaphria grata), Harnessed Tiger Moth (Apantesis phalerata), Hemigraphiphora plebeia, Hexorthodes agrotiformis, Hitched Arch (Melanchra adjuncta), Holomelina aurantiaca, Holomelina laeta, Homorthodes reliqua, Homorthodes sp. 1, Hyppa xylinoides, Iris Angle Shades (Phlogophora iris), Isabella tiger moth (Pyrrharctia isabella), kidney-spotted minor (Lacinipolia renigera), Lacanobia radix, Lacinipolia comis, Lacinipolia erecta, Lacinipolia implicata, Lacinipolia laudabilis, Lacinipolia lorea, Lacinipolia lustralis, Lacinipolia meditata, Lacinipolia olivacea, Lacinipolia pensilis, Lacinipolia teligera, Lacinipolia umbrosa, Lacinipolia vicina, Large Ruby Tiger Moth (Phragmatobia assimilans), Leuconycta lepidula, Lobed Looper Moth (Megalographa biloba), Mamestra curialis, maple looper moth (Autographa mappa), morbid owlet moth (Chytolita morbidalis), Nais tiger moth (Apantesis nais), Neoarctia beanii, Northern Sallow (Homorthodes furfurata), nutmeg (Discestra trifolii), Old Man Dart (Agrotis vetusta), Ornate Tiger Moth (Grammia ornata), Orthodes bolteri, Orthodes crenulata, Orthodes cynica, Oviduca Quaker Moth (Protorthodes oviduca), Parthenice tiger moth (Grammia parthenice), Pink-spotted Dart Moth (Pseudohermonassa bicarnea), Platyperigea extima, Polia detracta, Protolampra brunneicollis, Protorthodes incincta, Pseudorthodes vecors, Setaceous Hebrew Character (Xestia c-nigrum), speckled cutworm (Lacanobia subjuncta), Spilosoma congrua, Streaked Salt Marsh Moth (Platarctia parthenos), strict lacinipolia (Lacinipolia stricta), Synchlora xysteraria, the smaller pinkish dart (Diarsia jucunda), Tricholita signata, Turuptiana permaculata, Two-spotted Looper Moth (Autographa bimaculata), underworld dart (Agrotis subterranea), Variable Owlet Moth (Phalaenostola metonalis), Virginia Tiger Moth (Spilosoma virginica), Wandering Tiger Moth (Spilosoma vagans), Wavy-lined Emerald (Synchlora aerata), white triangle tortrix (Clepsis persicana), White-marked Tussock Moth (Orgyia leucostigma), Xestia adela, zebra caterpillar moth (Melanchra picta)
Reported Fauna Sightings
Bees: Common eastern (Bombus impatiens), Fuzzy-horned bumble bee (Bombus mixtus), Red-belted bumble bee (Bombus rufocinctus), Two-form bumble bee (Bombus bifarius), ⚠️Western honey bee (Apis mellifera) Butterflies:Small White (Pieris rapae)
Garden & Ecology Notes
- Wildlife Value:
- bees, butterflies, birds
- Salt Tolerant:
- Yes
- Fire Ecology:
- Fire adapted — tolerates or benefits from fire
- Fire Notes:
- Resprouts vigorously from deep taproot after fire or mowing disturbance.
Propagation & Germination
- Stratification:
- None required
- Germination Time:
- 7–21 days
- Notes:
- Seeds germinate readily without pretreatment; light improves germination.
The above propagation data sourced from Claude AI