Fall Dandelion – Leontodon autumnalis

  • Post published:09/06/2013
  • Post comments:3 Comments
Fall Dandelion

The fall dandelion is making a great show this year, especially at the edges of the lawn where it meets the gravelly driveway. I don’t ever remember quite so many in bloom.

The fall dandelion is not really a dandelion at all, although the strong similarity explains the name. The fall dandelion is properly known as Leontodon autumnalis, while the common dandelion is Taraxacum officinale. The difference is that the fall dandelion has more narrowly cut leaves with lobes that can point forward or backward. The stem is wiry and does not have the milky juice. Neither of  these is native to North America.

Fall dandelion closeup

Fall or spring, these flowers have a connection to the king of beasts. There is the spring dandeLION and the fall LEOntodon.  In both cases the reference is to those nasty teeth of the lion.

 

This Post Has 3 Comments

  1. Tinky

    Is it edible like the real dandelion, do you know? (I’m guessing not.)

  2. Pat

    Tinky – the leaf is so narrow there isn’t much to it. I’m reading Madison’s Vegetable Literacy and she talks about lots of parts of vegetables not usually considered edible – like carrot tops.

  3. Tinky

    Carrot tops, huh? Thanks for responding.

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