Taraxacum officinale
Family: Compositae
Common name: COMMON DANDELION
Native to: United States, Widely Naturalized
Plant
Type: perennial
Forms: prostrate, rosette
Leaves deciduous
Max height: 0.50 feet
Max width: 0.50 feet
Flower
yellow
Leaf
green
Horticulture
Attracts wildlife: adult butterfly, bee, specific butterfly species
Plant features: deciduous, naturalizes, weedy
Exposure: light shade, sun
Landscape use: container
Weedy
flowers in spring
flowers in summer
Soil types: clay, gravelly or rocky, loam, tolerates poor, wide range
USDA Zones: zone 1 below -50 f, zone 2 -50 f, zone 3 -40 f, zone 4 -30 f, zone 5 to -20 f, zone 6 to -10 f, zone 7 to 0 f, zone 8 to +10 f, zone 9 to +20 f, zone 10 to +30 f
Water: drought tolerant
Butterflies that feed on this plant
The common Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, is a Composite that is either native or naturalized in every US state. The young leaves are consumed by humans as a leafy green and added to salads. The flowers appeal to bees and to the 76 US butterfly species listed here. When given nectar choices, the Common Buckeye, Junonia coenia, chose this flower - and none other on a particular day. Grow it to add to the palate of nectar that attract and feed butterflies.
There are a few look-a-likes to this plant including species of Hieracium, Agoseris, Rafinesquia, and Malacothrix.
It can get weedy. If the seed heads are collected, its weediness can be somewhat contained.
Public Domain images are shown here including an illustration by the artist Franz Eugen Köhler.
Container plants that attract adult butterflies - perennial
This plant can be grown in a container and will attract and feed adult butterflies. These plant can be found in every height range – from tiny to large – from less than a foot high to over 10 feet tall.
Our database of nectar plants for all US butterflies contains over 10,000 entries. The top five nectar plants -- Cirsium, Lantana, Asclepias, Salvia, and Verbena -- will appeal to 90% of all US butterflies. Pick from these if you want to provide nectar for your local butterflies.
Once you start with these, you can add from another 630 genera in 110 plant families to attract more insects to your garden.
By far the most import butterfly nectar plant family is Asteraceae. If you grow plants in from this family, butterflies will find your garden.
