Dandelion

Taraxacum officinale

Dandelion image

Dandelion is also known as priests crown, swines snout, pissabed, tTelltime, lions tooth and fairy clock. The plant is native to Europe and is naturalized in North America. It was introduced into the Midwest to provide food for imported honeybees in early spring. It reaches a height of 2 to 18 inches. The bright yellow flower head (which is open in the daytime but closes at night) is really many tiny flowers bunched together. After a dandelion blooms, each of its tiny flowers produces a seed. Dandelion can reproduce from seed almost year-round or it can regrow from its taproot. The white puff ball is called the "dandelion clock" and blowing it apart is a popular pastime for children. The number of blows required to completely rid the clock of its seeds is said to be the time of day. The whole plant is edible - the flowers used to make wine, the leaves boiled like spinach or added to salads, and the roots used as a vegetable or coffee substitute. The plant also provides dye in two colors - yellow from the flowers and red from the root.