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Dandelion The cheery yellow flowers and ‘clock’ seedheads of dandelions are a familiar sight throughout the UK. Although not always welcome in formal, manicured lawns, dandelions are a great way to attract wildlife and increase biodiversity in your garden.

By The RHS Advice Team

06 Nov, 2025

RHS Advice Guides

• Quick facts
• What do dandelions look like?
• Are dandelions weeds?
• Frequently asked questions about controlling dandelions

Quick facts

Dandelion’s botanical name is Taraxacum

1

Botanists have identified over 200 micro-species of Taraxacum in the UK; close inspection is needed to tell them apart

2

The nectar-rich flowers are loved by bees and butterflies and the seeds are eaten by small birds

3

Dandelions are evergreen perennials with a main taproot

4

If you choose to remove dandelions, non-chemical methods are effective

5

What do dandelions look like?

There are, in fact, many species of dandelions growing in the UK. Thankfully, they share many characteristics and all can be distinguished by the following:

• Yellow flowerheads packed with petals are borne on fleshy, hollow stalks from March to October
• Seedheads are globe-like (‘dandelion clocks’), composed of many silvery seed-bearing structures that disperse in the wind
• Evergreen rosette of leaves, growing from a main taproot A large, tapering, central root that grows downward. It's typically thicker and deeper than the other roots, allowing access to water and nutrients from deeper in the soil. Plants with taproots include dandelions, carrots and parsley.
• The rosette is typically 15-30cm (6-12in) wide and is often flat, especially in lawns, but leaves can grow upwards if allowed
• Leaves are long, narrow and often lobed. This is highly variable, even within the same plant. Some leaves have a pinkish-purple colouring near the base
• Leaf stems and flower stalks exude a milky latex when damaged

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Top Tip

Did you know?

The BSBI (Botanical Society of Britain and Ireland) recognises Taraxacum as a particularly interesting genus. Many species are native to the UK, and some are endemic (only found in the UK). For anyone wanting to learn more about identifying sub-groups (sections) and species of dandelion, the BSBI website is a great resource.

Are dandelions weeds?

Dandelions are now known to have many benefits and uses, transforming gardeners’ opinions from weed to wildlife plant.

Their value to wildlife, providing food to many insects and birds, is perhaps the main reason why they should be welcomed in our gardens. Their nectar- and pollen-rich flowers appear over a long period and are loved by bees and butterflies – which is why dandelions are included on the RHS Plants for Pollinators list. The early flowers are especially valuable as they provide food at a time when other sources are scarce. The seeds that follow provide food for bullfinches, greenfinches, goldfinches and serins.

Top Tip

Did you know?

Many caterpillars eat dandelion leaves, including those of buff ermine, white ermine, dot, garden tiger, ruby tiger, riband wave and yellow shell moths.

Dandelions have ornamental value, being a cheerful addition to flower-rich lawns, verges and wildlife gardens. Their leaves, flowers and roots are edible and people have found many ways to benefit from the flavours and nutrients. Dandelions also have a long history of medicinal use and are still used in many herbal remedies to treat a range of ailments.

Gardeners still wishing to maintain a fine, formal lawn A formal lawn is a meticulously maintained area of grass, often found in gardens, parks and estates. It typically features crisp edges and evenly mown grass of just a couple of species. Weeds and wildflowers are generally not welcome in a formal lawn, making them much less biodiverse than informal, species-rich lawns. are, however, likely to consider dandelions as weeds. In borders and beds too, gardeners might want to limit their numbers if they are growing small or young plants that could be swamped or outcompeted by dandelions.

Top Tip

What is a weed?

The term ‘weed’ describes a plant that is growing where it isn’t wanted. Weeds usually thrive in average garden conditions, reproducing and spreading easily. It is up to you to decide what you call a weed and what you choose to retain or remove.

Frequently asked questions about controlling dandelions

Here are our answers to your most common questions about dealing with dandelions:

How invasive are dandelions?

As anyone who has blown a ‘dandelion clock’ will know, these plants spread by seed. A single flowerhead actually contains over a hundred individual flowers packed closely together, which in turn become over a hundred seeds. The wind will detach and disperse the seeds and these can travel up to 500m (1,640ft) away from the parent plant.

The good news is that deadheading some of the dandelions in your garden, as the flowers begin to fade, will reduce the amount of new seedlings A seedling is a young plant grown from seed. . The seeds themselves aren’t particularly long-lived (after three months only half will still be viable) and not all the seeds will land in a place suitable for germination Germination is the process by which a seed develops into a new plant. It starts with the seed coat absorbing water, expanding and splitting, which allows oxygen and water into the seed so its food reserves can be broken down and used by the embryo for growth. The first root (called the radicle) pushes into the soil to anchor the new plant in place and start absorbing water and nutrients. The first shoot (called the plumule) then grows upwards, out of the soil, towards the light. .

Young dandelion plants quickly develop a taproot A large, tapering, central root that grows downward. It's typically thicker and deeper than the other roots, allowing access to water and nutrients from deeper in the soil. Plants with taproots include dandelions, carrots and parsley. to become established and plants can regenerate from sections of root, so may be spread unintentionally by gardeners composting roots or chopping them up when digging. Taking care to separate these before composting Composting is the process by which plant material is heaped together to rot (decompose) to produce compost. Garden or kitchen waste can be broken down over time in a compost bin or heap to produce crumbly organic matter that can be used as a mulch, soil conditioner and a constituent of potting compost. and being mindful of where you dig will help to reduce their spread.

Do I need to get rid of dandelions?

No – allowing dandelions to grow in your lawn, wildflower meadow, wildlife corner or in less-cultivated areas is a great way to boost the biodiversity The variety of living organisms (plants, animals, fungi and microorganisms) in a particular environment. Boosting the biodiversity of your garden has many benefits, including supporting wildlife, improving soil health and reducing the likelihood of pest and disease problems. of your garden. You could even grow a small patch in your veg beds to encourage pollinators to your crops and to use for harvesting.

You can control the spread of dandelions by deadheading and removing any seedlings that appear out of bounds, so there is space in almost all gardens for this valuable wildflower A term generally applied to non-woody, flowering plants that are natural to a particular area and grow there without human assistance. More accurately, British wildflowers normally applies to UK natives including plants introduced into the wild before 1500. . You may, however, want to remove those growing in fine lawns or highly cultivated beds and borders.

Top Tip

Top Tip

Make use of the dandelions you choose to dig up. Add young, tender leaves to salads and cook older ones. Use flower buds as an alternative to capers or use open flowers to make a pleasant tea. Harvest roots to flavour soft drinks or use them dried and roasted as a caffeine-free coffee substitute.

What is the easiest way to kill dandelions?

If you can’t tolerate all the dandelions in your garden, there are ways to remove them:

• Dig or fork out plants – ideally do this when plants are still young and haven’t had time to develop a deep taproot or set seed. Aim to remove as much of the taproot as possible because dandelions can regenerate from fragments of root. With particularly deep-rooted or awkwardly positioned plants, initially remove as much root as you can and then remove regrowth when it appears – over time this will weaken the plant. Taproots can extend down a long way but are typically less than 30cm (1ft) long in gardens; they tend to branch and fork in stony ground. There are many specially designed tools, often sold as ‘dandelion weeders’, to help with removal; these target the taproot and limit soil disturbance.
• Mulch – apply a layer of organic matter, about 7.5cm (3in) deep, to beds and borders in late winter to reduce the amount of seedlings. This will also reduce the germination rate of any subsequent seed landing on the ground, especially if the organic matter is free-draining.
• Smother plants – in areas containing large numbers of unwanted dandelions, cover the ground with a layer of cardboard and then a 20cm (8in) thick layer of organic matter, such as bark Bark is the outermost layer of woody plants (trees, shrubs and woody climbers). It is several cells thick and provides protection against physical damage, disease and environmental stresses. Bark comes in a wide variety of colours and patterns, and these can help gardeners when identifying plants. The fissures and crevices of bark on older plants also creates valuable habitat for many garden creatures as well as lichens and small plants. or wood chips. Alternatively, use a heavy grade biodegradable Anything that can be decomposed by fungi, bacteria and micro-organisms, so it doesn’t persist indefinitely in the environment. Biodegradable plastics are usually made from plants, such as bamboo, rather than fossil fuels. Ideally, products that claim to be biodegradable should break down quickly and leave nothing harmful behind. However, they may need specific conditions in order to biodegrade successfully or may produce greenhouse gases such as methane in the process. mulch Mulch is a layer of material, at least 5cm (2in) thick, applied to the soil surface in late autumn to late winter (Nov-Feb). It is used to provide frost protection, improve plant growth by adding nutrients or increasing organic matter content, reducing water loss from the soil, for decorative purposes and suppressing weeds. Examples include well-rotted garden compost and manure, chipped bark, gravel, grit and slate chippings. matting. This will block light and prevent growth, causing the root to die. Keep soil covered for a few years to ensure this method is effective.

Top Tip

Top Tip

You can add dandelion leaves to your home compost bin, but don’t add roots as these need high temperatures to be destroyed. Add them to your council green waste recycling bin or lay them on some sunny paving until they are completely dried and dead.

Should I use weedkiller?

No – as non-chemical control methods are effective, even if time-consuming, there is no need to use a weedkiller. Selective weedkillers used on lawns to kill dandelions remain in the soil for some weeks after application and have been linked to cases of herbicide contamination.

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