Dandelion Plant

This dandelion plant is Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion that people grow for its edible leaves, its roots and its early spring flowers. We ship it bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500, for herb growers, market gardens, pollinator plantings and anyone who wants dandelion where they choose to plant it.

Dandelion Plant Size, Zones and Sun

Dandelion is a low rosette of leaves, 3 to 6 inches long and deeply toothed, sitting on a thick taproot. It's hardy across zones 3 to 9 and does best in full sun, though it takes some shade. Soil hardly matters. It grows in lean ground, heavy clay and everything between.

Dandelion Flowers and Leaves

The flower heads are bright yellow, 1 to 3 inches wide, and they close up in the evening. Each one turns into the fluffy white seed ball most of us blew on as kids. Young leaves are the tender ones for salads. Older leaves are better cooked.

Dandelion for Pollinators

Dandelions bloom early, when little else is open, so honey bees and other beneficial insects use them for nectar and pollen. Growers who care about bees often keep a patch for exactly that reason. Our piece on why bees matter in a garden covers the wider picture.

Eating Dandelion

Leaves and flowers go into salads, stir-fries, teas, jams and wine. The roots can be roasted and brewed as a coffee substitute, which people leaned on during wartime shortages. Herb and tea growers often plant it for the roots alone. Pick from plants that haven't been sprayed.

Where to Plant Dandelion

Treat dandelion like an herb and give it a bed of its own, raised or in the ground, well away from the lawn. Market plots and meadow edges work as well. The taproot drills into hard, compacted soil, which helps in rough spots. If you're cutting leaves, plant about a foot apart so the rosettes don't crowd each other.

Planting Dandelion Bare-root

Soak the roots briefly, set the crown level with the soil and water it in. After that dandelion looks after itself. Water during a dry first month, then leave it alone.

Buying Dandelion Plants in Bulk

A pack of 100 at 12-inch spacing fills about 100 square feet. Growers who harvest leaves or roots often start with 100 or 500 and let the bed thicken, while smaller buyers can start at 25.

Good to Know About Dandelion

Dandelion spreads quickly by wind-blown seed and is hard to get rid of once it settles in. Plant it where it won't drift into a lawn or a neighbor's bed, and cut off the seed heads if you want to keep it contained. Our guide to self-seeding perennials has more on managing plants that spread.

Growing Dandelion for Harvest

If you want big, tender leaves, keep the plants watered and snip the flower buds. Leaves from a cut-back plant grow back soft. If you're after roots, leave the plant alone for a full season so the taproot has time to thicken, then lift it in fall. Some growers cover a bed with a row cover to blanch the leaves and cut the bitterness.

Dandelion Plant Sizes, Packs and Shipping

Dandelion plants ship bare-root in packs of 25, 50, 100 and 500. Volume pricing available. Browse more wholesale perennials for sale.