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

Anthocharis sara subsp. stella

Anthocharis thoosa

Apodemia virgulti

Atalopedes campestris

Calephelis arizonensis

Celastrina ladon subsp. echo

Glaucopsyche lygdamus

Mastor celia subsp. belli

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.

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