Dandelions: Friend? Foe? Both? Neither?

Background

Taraxacum officinale, commonly referred to as the dandelion, is a plant native to Eurasia that can now be found worldwide. This plant is easily identifiable by its bright yellow flowers (Figure 1) and its distinctive “puffball” seed head (Figure 2). Each seed from this head is attached to a parachute-like structure, known as a 'pappus', which facilitates wind dispersal.