Taraxacum officinale

Taraxacum officinale, the dandelion or common dandelion, is a herbaceous perennial flowering plant in the daisy family, Asteraceae. The common dandelion is well known for its yellow flower heads that turn into round balls of many silver-tufted fruit that disperse in the wind. These balls are called "clocks" in both British and American English. The name "blowball" is also used.

The common dandelion grows in temperate regions of the world in areas with moist soils. They are very hardy plants, able to grow in a variety of environments, and are tolerant of crowding, extremes of temperature, and low moisture. As a result of this hardiness, in addition to its ability to rapidly propagate itself, the dandelion has become established over a wide range via human activity, originally being native to Eurasia, but can also be found across the Americas, southern Africa, India, Australia and New Zealand as a result of incidental or deliberate introductions.

It is often considered a weed, especially in lawns, but is increasingly being recognised in its native regions as an excellent wildflower for attracting both pollinating insects, and birds that feed on the seeds. In one study, it ranked as the fourth most important pollen source, after willow, meadowsweet and blackberry. The leaves, flowers, and roots are sometimes used as food and in herbal medicine.