# Red-Seeded Dandelion (*taraxacum erythrospermum*)

The Red-Seeded Dandelion is a cheerful flower that loves to grow in sunny places! Its bright yellow petals turn into fluffy white seeds that float away in the wind.

- **Category:** [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/plant)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger
- **Habitat:** You can find Red-Seeded Dandelions in gardens, parks, and fields.
- **Also known as:** Wild Dandelion

![Red-Seeded Dandelion](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Taraxacumerythrospermum.jpg&width=800)

Photo: jkirkhart35, CC BY 2.0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Taraxacumerythrospermum.jpg)

## Appearance

The Red-Seeded Dandelion is a small plant with deeply lobed, often reddish-tinged leaves in a basal rosette. Its bright yellow flower heads resemble common dandelions but are notable for their brick-red or reddish-brown seeds, distinguishing them visually.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Plantae
- **Phylum:** Tracheophyta
- **Class:** Magnoliopsida
- **Order:** Asterales
- **Family:** Asteraceae
- **Genus:** Taraxacum

## Interesting facts

- Did you know dandelion flowers follow the sun's path across the sky each day?
- Its bright red seeds look like tiny jewels ready for an amazing journey!
- Its flowers open in the morning and close at night, like a tiny plant alarm clock!
- The milky sap from its stem can be used to remove warts – it's a natural remedy!

## Special abilities

- **Parachute Seeds:** Red-Seeded Dandelion has feathery parachutes on its seeds that help it fly far and wide on the wind, spreading its offspring.
- **Super Root:** It has a deep, strong taproot that helps it find water and nutrients far underground, surviving dry spells and tough soils.
- **Self-Cloner:** Red-Seeded Dandelion can make perfect copies of itself without needing pollen from another plant, ensuring it can always reproduce.

## Measurements & details

- **Height:** 5-30 cm
- **Spread:** 10-20 cm
- **Flower Size:** 2-3 cm
- **Bloom Season:** Spring to fall
- **Edible:** Yes
- **Toxicity:** None
- **Lifecycle:** Perennial
- **Pollination Method:** Insect

## Ecological connections

- **Pollinates:** Honey Bee (*Apis mellifera*) — collects nectar and pollen
- **Pollinates:** Common Eastern Bumblebee (*Bombus impatiens*) — gathers pollen and nectar
- **Eaten by:** [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) — grazes on its tender leaves

## Traits

- [Colorful](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/colorful): Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
- [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals.
- [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material.
- [Decomposer](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/decomposer): Describes organisms that break down dead organic material, recycling nutrients back into the ecosystem.
- [Pollinator](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/pollinator): Describes organisms that transfer pollen, enabling the fertilization and reproduction of plants.

## Collections

- [Plants](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/plants)

## Safety

**Danger:** 0/5 · No known danger

Always wash hands after touching plants!

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify Red-Seeded Dandelion?

Start with the whole plant, then compare leaf arrangement, leaf edges, stems and any flowers or fruit. Opposite leaves grow in pairs; alternate leaves come one at a time along the stem. These details tell you far more together than a single green leaf does. Plant Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How tall is Red-Seeded Dandelion?

5-30 cm

### How wide does Red-Seeded Dandelion spread?

10-20 cm

### How big are the flowers on Red-Seeded Dandelion?

2-3 cm

### When does Red-Seeded Dandelion bloom?

Spring to fall

### Is Red-Seeded Dandelion edible?

Yes

### Is Red-Seeded Dandelion toxic?

None

### What is Red-Seeded Dandelion's lifecycle?

Perennial

## Where to spot

- [Observatory Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/observatory-park) — Colorado, US · Park

## More Plants

- [white snakeroot](https://www.snappit.app/explore/white-snakeroot) (*Ageratina altissima*)
- [tree-of-heaven](https://www.snappit.app/explore/tree-of-heaven) (*Ailanthus altissima*)
- [western sword fern](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-sword-fern) (*Polystichum munitum*)
- [common milkweed](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-milkweed) (*Asclepias syriaca*)

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Source: [Red-Seeded Dandelion: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/red-seeded-dandelion)