Common dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
Family: Asteraceae
Fire effect on plant
Common dandelion may be top-killed by fire, but the tap root can survive (Esser 1993).
Key traits
Common dandelion’s prolific production of wind-dispersed seed (Toth 1991) and persistent, viable seed bank (Ahlgren 1979) means burnt sites can be readily colonized. A thick tap root belowground can support resprouting. after fire.
Plant response to fire
Common dandelion increases in frequency after fire, particularly in the first or second postfire year (e.g., Eichhorn and Watts 1984).
Timing of life history
A perennial. In productive sites, seeds can be produced in the first growing season. Flowering March to October.
Conservation status
None.
References
Ahlgren, C.E. 1979. Buried seed in the forest floor of the Boundary Waters Canoe Area. Minnesota Forestry Research Note No. 271. St. Paul, MN: University of Minnesota, College of Forestry. 4 p. [Empirical evidence; Grey literature]
Eichhorn, L. C., Watts, C.R. 1984. Plant succession on burns in the river breaks of central Montana. Proceedings, Montana Academy of Science 43: 21-34. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]
Esser, L. L. 1993. Taraxacum officinale. In: Fire Effects Information System, [Online]. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station,
Fire Sciences Laboratory (Producer). Available: https://www.fs.usda.gov/database/feis/plants/forb/taroff/all.html [2024, January 24]. [Expert opinion; Grey literature]
Toth, B. L. 1991. Factors affecting conifer regeneration and community structure after a wildfire in western Montana. Corvallis, OR, Oregon State University. 124 p. Thesis. [Empirical evidence; Academic literature]