Wild Flowers Of Strathclyde Park
  
 

Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
of the Daisy family
an annual or biennial
4-40 cm high
blooms March-October
likes grassy meadows, pastures, lawns, open woodlands
can be seen extensively throughout the Park

    
The name of this familiar flower derives from the French dent de lion, lion's tooth, which refers to the tooth-like lobes of its leaves. Although gardeners hate this invasive plant, in the wild it can brighten grassy areas when few other flowers are in bloom.
Drinks concocted from dandelion were given as a remedy for a variety of ailments such as jaundice and TB. The leaves can be used in salads, the flowers can be used to make wine and the roots can be used as a coffee substitute.