Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion

Other names:
Introduced From: Europe and Asia
Family: Asteraceae
Habitat: Lawns, roadsides, wastland, pasture and cultivated land
Uses: Leaves edible raw, roots can be roasted
Season: All year
References: Low (Weeds), Richardson and Shepherd

A common weed of developed land. Leaves grow from a basal rosette. Closely resembles Hypochaeris sp. (Catsears), Crepis and Leontodon taraxacoides. It has smooth, hairless leaves that are deeply toothed, unlike Catsears, which are hairy and not so sharply toothed around the edges (more rounded).

Flowers are yellow and the tiny light seeds form into the familiar rounded shape that is seen in unmowed lawns everywhere.

Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW

Photo: Wentworth Falls, Blue Mountains NSW

I made the drawing below as part of the Kamana Naturalist Training Program. It is not meant to be artistic or even particuluarly technically correct. The main purpose of drawing in the course is that it is a great aid to learning the identifying details of what you are drawing.

The above photo shows my drawing of dandelion from the Kamana Naturalist Training Program. High resolution (2587 x 1816)

Bush Tucker Plant Foods - Edible Weeds
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