Dandelion
Taraxacum officinalePerennial with edible flowers, leaves, roots. One of the most valuable food forest support plants; embrace the dandelion
What to know before finding it a place.
Growing notes for our conditions.
Regional fit still depends on the actual site—especially drainage, exposure, irrigation, soil and the specific cultivar selected.
Oklahoma notes
One of the most valuable food forest support plants; embrace the dandelion
Disease resistance
Excellent
Pruning
Harvest before seed set if controlling; allow to bloom for pollinators
Care
All parts edible; root is medicinally valuable; tap root breaks compaction
Drought tolerance
High once established
Plan the partners before planting the tree.
Pollination reference
For fruiting plants, compatible bloom timing and nearby partners can matter as much as the cultivar itself.
The cultivar can matter as much as the species.
These references help narrow the large number of named varieties to options better aligned with Zone 7A conditions, disease pressure and useful harvest windows.
Zone 7A Recommended Varieties
These are recommendations carried in the Organix Zone 7A reference database. They are not automatically the same as a cultivar personally proven by Organix on every site; site conditions and availability still matter.
How this plant can function in a larger system.
Landscape functions
Edible; Attractor; Accumulator; Medicinal
Edible parts
Flowers, Leaves, Roots
Companion plants
ALL fruit trees — deep tap root benefits companion plants
Community / companion role
Pollination: Self-fertile; Companions: ALL fruit trees — deep tap root benefits companion plants
Food-forest layer
Ground Cover
Oklahoma classification
Primary
Support the plant without overcomplicating the system.
Soil preferences
Preferred pH 5.0-8.0
KNF / fertility schedule
Minimal — use leaves as FPJ input and mineral-rich mulch
Maintenance
Harvest before seed set if controlling; allow to bloom for pollinators
Plant performance varies with microclimate, soil, drainage, water, maintenance and cultivar. Organix uses the library to narrow good candidates, then makes final selections around the actual site.
Edible and medicinal tags describe traditional or practical plant uses in the landscape and are not medical advice. Always verify identification, preparation and individual suitability before consuming a plant.