Taraxacum officinale
Common dandelion
(c) Jason Grant, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Jason Grant · licence
Family: Asteraceae · Type: Herb · Not Native
Taraxacum officinale (Common dandelion) is a non-native California herb in the Asteraceae family, recognized by widespread weedy habit, broad elevation range, and non-red seed colors.
Common dandelion is a naturalized perennial found in California Floristic Province and Great Basin regions in disturbed areas at elevations up to 3,300 meters. Flowering throughout the entire year, this plant produces bright yellow flowers in distinctive round heads with multiple ray florets. Growing with multiple slender green stems from a deep taproot, it forms dense rosettes of leaves up to 20 centimeters tall. Its leaves are broadly oblanceolate to obovate, deeply toothed with wide, irregular lobes that can be sharply cut or dentate, creating a jagged and distinctive leaf profile. The fruit develops as an olive to straw-colored seed head with small seeds that disperse easily in the wind, allowing the plant to spread rapidly across disturbed landscapes.
Identification and appearance
Key characters: 2 sympatric species; distinguished by widespread weedy habit, broad elevation range, and non-red seed colors
Habitat and range
Habitat: Abundant. Esp disturbed areas
Elevation: < 3300 m
Outside California: native to Europe
Bloom period
Taraxacum officinale blooms All year.
How to tell it apart
vs Munzothamnus: Munzothamnus is a woody shrub; Taraxacum is herbaceous with basal rosettes.; vs Hieracium: Hieracium has branched stems with multiple heads; Taraxacum has single heads on unbranched leafless stalks.; vs Malacothrix: Malacothrix pappus falls off easily; Taraxacum pappus stays firmly attached.; vs Agoseris: Agoseris outer bracts are about half as long as inner; Taraxacum outer bracts are much shorter.; vs Crepis: Crepis has leaves up the branched stem; Taraxacum leaves are all basal with leafless stems.
Frequently asked questions
Is Taraxacum officinale native to California?
No. Taraxacum officinale is not native to California (recorded as not native).
When does Taraxacum officinale bloom?
Taraxacum officinale blooms All year.
What plant family does Taraxacum officinale belong to?
Taraxacum officinale is in the Asteraceae family, genus Taraxacum.
What habitat does Taraxacum officinale grow in?
Taraxacum officinale grows in Abundant. Esp disturbed areas.
Related species
Other California species in the same genus, family, or bioregion.
Sources: Jepson eFlora · Index of California Plant Names · CalPhotos
Last updated 2026-10-07
Data from The California Species Project — 14,000+ California species with verified data from CNPS, CDFW, USFWS, Cal-IPC, and more.