Taraxacum officinale, the dandelion or common dandelion, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant of the dandelion genus in the family Asteraceae (syn. Compositae). The common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of many silver-tufted fruits that disperse in the wind. These balls are usually called "clocks" in both British and American English. The name "blowball" is also used.
This low-growing plant with lobed leaves and small flowers is commonly found in lawns with worn-out neutral or acidic soils. Plantain indicates acidic, compacted, low-fertility soil.
Seeds germinate throughout the growing season when soil is moist and soil temperature is at least 50°F. However, germination is more rapid when the soil temperature is closer to 77°F.
The container for growing dandelion plants indoors should be at least 6 inches (15 cm.) deep to accommodate the long roots. The width of the container depends on how many plants you intend to plant and how large you want them to be at harvest. A 4- to 6-inch (10-15 cm.)
In general, dandelion is not toxic when taken in therapeutic amounts. Similarly, the dandelion plant taken as a vegetable, in moderate amounts is not toxic. 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.
