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One of the first plants a child learns to recognize
is the dandelion. Its bright-yellow flowers make it easy to spot —
and what fun it is to pick a “puffball” (the dandelion seed
head, blow on it, and see how far the seeds will fly. The dandelion (Taraxacum
officinale), a deep-rooted cool-season
perennial, is despised by home gardeners looking for the perfect lawn. It
is easily recognized by its basal rosette of slightly to deeply cut leaves,
long fleshy taproot, and hollow stem supporting a yellow flower. Dandelions
prefer moist, sunny locations but will also grow in the shade. The yellow flower is actually a composite of numerous
flowers, each capable of producing a parachutelike brown seed. The
flowering stalk can support 100 to 300 such flowers. Dandelion flowers
appear mainly in the early spring or late fall but are seen throughout the
year. The seeds may be carried several miles by the wind.
Dandelions, which are native to Africa, Asia, and
Europe, were introduced to the United States from Europe. The plant, whose
flowers and bitter leaves are edible, has many culinary uses. Most recipes
call for tender leaves harvested in the spring just before plants bloom.
Tender leaves are generally eaten raw, whereas older leaves are cooked.
Dishes incorporating dandelions include salads, soups, cooked greens,
potato salad, wine, and jelly. Believe it or not, dandelion seeds are
available for purchase from Johnny’s Selected Seeds. Unwanted dandelions can be physically removed. Moist
conditions make the job easier — but even with moist soil it is
difficult to pull a dandelion and remove the entire taproot. A dandelion
generally grows a taproot 6 to 18 inches long, and a 1-inch-long section of
the root is capable of generating a new plant. If the soil is moist, a small dandelion can be
successfully removed by hand. Larger plants may be pulled with the aid of a
tool that removes the entire root. A variety of these tools, such as the
Weed Hound, the WeedPopper, and the Dandelion Weeder, just to name a few,
are available; the makers of most of these tools claim that their
implements will get the dandelion root and all. A properly maintained healthy, dense stand of
turfgrass should prevent invasions by weeds such as the dandelion, but spot
treatment with herbicides is an option. This approach is most successful in
the early fall, when the dandelion plant is taking food from the leaves and
storing it in the roots, because chemicals applied to the plant in the fall
can be transferred to the roots. Elimination of established plants can be
difficult, but postemergence herbicides that control broadleaf weeds work
against dandelions — 2,4-D provides adequate control. (Remember to
always read and follow label directions.) • Do you need help identifying an insect? Want
to know when to plant tomatoes or the best time to fertilize the lawn? Get
your garden questions answered by a master gardener. University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit
Master Gardener volunteers are available 8:30 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday-Friday to
answer your home-garden questions. Call 217-782-4617 or e-mail
sangamon_co@uiuc.edu.
Jennifer Fishburn is a horticulture educator with the
University of Illinois Extension Sangamon-Menard Unit. Contact her at
fishburn@uiuc.edu.
This article appears in Apr 17-23, 2008.
