Taraxacum officinale

Other common names:

Lion's tooth, puffball, blowball, and monk's head.

Description:

• Dandelion is a perennial that grows best in moist areas in full sun.
• Leaves are clustered in a rosette at the base of the plant. Leaves are smooth, with deeply serrated margins and consist of pointed lobes (different to catsear weed).
• There are five distinct visible growing stages of a Dandelion's lifecycle: i) plant, ii) plant flowering, iii) seed head developing, iv) seeds developing and v) seeds been dispersed by wind or other means to commence the cycle again.
• Flowering stalks terminate in a compound inflorescence or head that contains 100 to 300 ray flowers and looks like a characteristic puffball. Each ray flower has a strap-shaped yellow petal with five notches at the tip.
• Seed is easily dispersed by wind.

Susceptible Turf:

All warm- and cool-season turfgrass varieties.

Control options:

• Pesticides: See available tabs below for registered products. Use as per label instructions.
• Integrated Pest Management (IPM): Use a combination of approaches listed on this page.
• Cultural: Nil.
• Mechanical: Physical removal of the weed and tap root by hand. Control should be undertaken before the plants seeding lifecycle commences.

References:

• Letchamo, W., and A. Gosselin. 1996. Light, temperature and duration of storage govern the germination and emergence of Taraxacum officinale seed. J. of Hort. Sci. 71(3):373-377.
• Mitich, L. W. 1989. Common dandelion--the lion's tooth. Weed Tech. 3:537.

Disclaimer:

Turf Finder or its developer accepts with no responsibility for any consequences whatsoever resulting from the use of any information or product(s) listed herein. Products are to be applied as per label instructions.