Please Identify This Plant!
Grumpians, I desperately need your help. Today while out walking I chanced upon the most beautiful flower I have ever seen. It is perfection in symmetry and glows like the sun. I must have dozens — nay, THOUSANDS — of these glorious wonders in my garden this spring. Only I don’t know what the flower is and where to get more. Can you help me?
As you can see, this botanical jewel features a fluffy, perfectly round blossom about the size of a quarter and composed of many segments. Cold must not hinder it, for it blooms in the dead of winter. I surmise it must rife with pollen and winy nectar for insects constantly buzz about it.
I cannot disclose its location, for it is undoubtedly a rare, endangered plant, perhaps the last of its kind. If people knew where it was, it would surely be plundered by the rapacious collector.
My only hope is that somewhere scientists have learned to propagate it by tissue culture, so that all Americans may one day enjoy its beauty. But before that happens, I simply must know its true name, lest in my desperation, I harm myself by running with scissors or enter a competitive eating contest with Oprah Winfrey.
What is this mystery bloom?????????
Steve you have discovered the rare dahlia-lion!!! Usually grazed upon by unicorns and used in many leprechaun weddings. We have no idea….
I can assure you the leprechauns here in Ireland wont be using this one as we call what looks to be the exact same plant by its common name “piss in the bed”. Its botanical name Taraxacum officinale whihc was used for urinary disorders in the past and the root can be made into a tea. However doctors advice is advised
The Leprechauns steer clear of it at weddings I know as we hav a fairy fort on our farm here and have happened on an odd leprechaun visiting now and then 
Dandelions are edible. And you can even make wine with them.
Momma had a baby and the head popped off!
I could send you plenty of Cardamine hirsuta and Lamium amplexicaule to use as companions to create a stunning combination.
Cameron
“……Its botanical name Taraxacum officinale”
Isn’t that just common dandelion??????? While I do believe it is Taraxacum, I don’t know that it is that particular species. Just my guess……
A dandelion, you say? Never heard of it. Is it hard to hard to grow? Would anybody like seeds?
Hi Steve, you are always a hoot! This really is a fine plant, and we are making the effort to leave some for the pollinators who love it so. It is hard to unlearn the hatred, but we are working on it, along with learning the names of many other natives previously scorned. It is not tolerated in the ever shrinking lawn though.
Hmm, too much dandelion wine?
Hmm, too much dandelion wine?
Some yellow blooms would be a welcome change over the blanket of white I’m staring at now!
“It is not tolerated in the ever-shrinking lawn…”
Hmm, seems like the solution is to get rid of the lawn altogether and embrace the flowers! It’d be much prettier and use less water/fertilizers.
I used to feed those to our gueanea (SP?) pig who loved them. Having found a use for them, they soon disappeared from my garden. Isn’t it amazing how anything useful disappears.
It is definitely a dandelion. Even though they are pretty, they have a long tap root and are hard to get rid of and will pop up anywhere.
Whoa, Dave, I think a glass of bright yellow dandelion wine is exadctly what you need. And I know where you can get some — Maple River Winery in North Dakota. In addition to delicious rhubarb wine, chokecherry wine, and pumpkin wine, they make dandelion wine, which they describe as tasting like “a cross between chardonnay and corn on the cob.” Here’s the link: http://www.mapleriverwinery.com/wines.htm
LOL…I seem to have a lot of them. However, they are kind of sporadic in my garden. I think they would look nice as a mass planting. They do seem very hardy and pulling them up is quite a chore! It has nice color, unique foliage, and beautiful seed heads. I could just go on and on…I’ll stop. Enjoyed the laugh.
)
A flower by any other name ….
Weeds are beautiful flowers that always grow where we don’t want them.
Oh, I wonder if lizards will eat them??? If so, I know someone I can make VERY happy.