herbaceous layer
dandelion
taraxacum officinale
the first meal of every spring bee and a calcium pump for compacted ground. the weed that isn't — leave a corner of them and watch.
functions
field guide
native to
Eurasia, now worldwide
height
0.1–0.3 m
spread
single deep taproot
hardiness
RHS H7 · USDA 3–10
light
full sun
moisture
moderate
soil
everywhere, by design
uses
in the kitchen
young leaves, the flowers, and the roasted root as a coffee substitute
traditional medicine
the leaf is a folk diuretic, the root a traditional liver tonic
historical & folk use — not medical advice.
harvest
leaves young in spring before they turn bitter, root in autumn
propagation
seed — and that taproot regrows from a fragment
season
open the calendar →grower's notes
memberspropagation, guild role, and deeper ecology for dandelion — the members' view.
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relationships — grows well with
see dandelion on the relationship map →the takeaway
start a guild around dandelion
plant these together and the relationships on this page start working for you — feeders, protectors, and cover, layer by layer.
- herbaceous
- dandelion — the anchor
- groundcover
- white clover
- herbaceous
- yarrow
works inside: biodrilling compacted ground · nectar succession
design patterns using this plant