Dandelion

Description:

Hardly perennial herb usually has deeply toothed,hairless leaves, 5–30 cm long and 1–10 cm wide. It grows 3–35 cm in height, forming a rosette of leaves at ground level. It has single, golden yellow flowers on straight, leafless hollow stems, which emerge from the centre of the rosette. Each flower consists of a collection of florets. Flowers are produced from early spring until late autumn. When the florets mature, they produce downy seeds, which are easily dispersed by the wind. Dandelion plants have tap roots, tapering from 2 to 3 cm wide and at least 15 cm in length. Roots are fleshy and brittle, and are a dark brown color on the outside and white on the inside. Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, was native to Europe but now can be found throughout the northern temperate zones.

Habitat:

John Bunker Sands Wetland Center, Seagoville, Tx. These ideas reflect and extend the vision of Bunker Sands, a holistic ranch management advocate, who directed the creation of over 2,100 wetland acres on Rosewood Ranches properties in Kaufman, Henderson, Ellis, and Navarro counties. The constructed wetlands included seasonal emergent wetlands, scrub swamps and flooded bottomland hardwood forest. Several of the original wetlands occurred at Rosewood’s Seagoville Ranch, the site of the Center and of the East Fork Wetland Project, developed and operated by North Texas Municipal Water District.

Notes:

Dandelion is a rich source of vitamins and minerals and is particularly high in vitamins A and C and iron, carrying more iron and calcium than spinach