Dandelions are both male and female at the same time. For most hermaphroditic flowers, the genders develop at slightly different times to avoid inbreeding. Inbreeding allows negative traits that are normally recessive to become physical traits, which isn't good.
Both ferns and dandelions reproduce sexually and asexually, although the life cycle of all angiosperms is more complex than pteridophytes. Both plants release large numbers of progeny; ferns use spores, dandelions seeds.
Eventually, all those beautiful flowers eventually turn to white globes of exposed seeds that are often called "puffballs." Dandelions grow so successfully because those puffballs disperse their seeds over long distances in a stiff breeze.
As with most plants, pollination of the dandelion occurs when insects carry a pollen from one flower to another. However, dandelions have both male and female organs on the same flower meaning the plant can also be self-pollinating.
This flower (Taraxacum officinale) is found worldwide. And, as many a child discovers to their delight, when a dandelion sets seed, the flower (actually, hundreds of tiny florets) turns into a mass of seeds known as a dandelion clock.
Dandelions Break Ground
“They are among the first weeds to colonize disturbed land where other plants won't grow. Their strong roots can break through the toughest soil and you will often find them growing through concrete,” a fact that frustrates lawn purists, because they absolutely flourish with soil and sun.
Ecologically they are becoming very important as a food source for domestic and wild species of bees, particularly in early spring because they grow so soon.
Dandelions are native to Eurasia, but have been introduced to North America, South America, India (where it hadn't reached naturally), Australia, New Zealand and probably anywhere else where Europeans, the people, have migrated.
REMEMBER?? If you rub a dandelion under your chin and your skin turns yellow, you like butter -- at least according to an old wives tale found in cultures worldwide. Blow away the dandelion seeds and you can tell the future by counting how many seeds are left, according to other superstitions.
Individual plants may survive for 10 to 13 years in undisturbed sites. Dandelion seeds can form a relatively persistent seedbank. Seed in soil has a half-life of 3 months. If buried, a few seeds may still remain viable at the end of 5 years.
The dandelion seed head will come out almost completely unscathed and…completely dry! Why not try this little experiment for yourself? It's really easy to do and great to do with children. All you need is a glass of water and a dandelion that has gone to seed - also called a dandelion clock.
Dandelion makes the only flower representing three celestial bodies during different phases of its life cycle – sun, moon, stars. The yellow flower of the plant resembles the sun, the dispersing seeds of the plant resemble stars, and the puff ball of dandelion plant resembles the moon.
But because its inner petals are less exposed to light, those cells remain the same and cause the flower to close once light is gone. Daisies and dandelions are examples of wildflowers that open and close in response to light.
An asexual flower of Silene latifolia and Microbotryum lychnidis-dioicae promotes sex-organ development.
Dandelions are edible from root to flower.
Though we typically think of dandelions as flowers, the plant is a perennial herb and is one of the oldest herbs used for food and healing—since before Roman times!
With their golden flowers in the early spring, dandelions represent the return of life, the rebirth of growth and green after a harsh winter, and a display of abundant strength and power.
The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is an abundant “weed” plant that also happens to be edible. In fact, nearly the entire plant can be consumed in one way or another. The only inedible part is the stem, which contains a very bitter, milky substance.
The French word [for dandelion] is pissenlit, which translates to "pee the bed." Dandelions are a diuretic and in fact they are as strong as some of the commercial products.
Dandelion Root: I like roasted dandelion root tea to beat belly fat. The dandelion root increases liver function, which flushes toxins and excess water from the belly area and in turn gives you a flatter tummy. Just 2-4 cups a day does the trick.
Tribes - Native Voices. Healing Ways / Medicine Ways / Healing Plants / Dandelion (Alutiiq names: Qutemnaanaarua'a.
In Australia, dandelion is usually referred to as a weed and generally sprayed with poison or pulled out.
Eating Dandelion Leaves
If you don't like the bitterness your options are to either mask the taste with another flavour (like a strong salad dressing) or to leech out the lactones by boiling the leaves. If you choose to boil the leaves make sure you only do so for around 3 to 5 minutes.
Mowing dandelions does not contribute to the spread of them, but it also does not stop the spread. To stop the spread of dandelions, you must reduce seed spreading by collecting the dandelion seed heads into a bag and taken out of your yard.
Dandelion greens are also edible. The best time to harvest the leaves is when they are still young and tender, before the plant begins to flower. Tender leaves taste great when chopped fresh into salad. As the leaves grow older they become increasingly bitter.
Dandelions are good for your lawn. Their wide-spreading roots loosen hard-packed soil, aerate the earth and help reduce erosion. The deep taproot pulls nutrients such as calcium from deep in the soil and makes them available to other plants.