Krigia dandelion facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Krigia dandelion |
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Cichorioideae
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Cichorieae
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K. dandelion
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| Krigia dandelion (L.) Nutt.
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The potato dwarfdandelion (scientific name: Krigia dandelion) is a cool plant found in North America. It belongs to the sunflower family, which is a huge group of plants!
This plant grows naturally in the southeastern and south-central parts of the United States. You can find it from the Florida Panhandle all the way to Texas. It also grows north into states like Kansas, southern Illinois, and Maryland.
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What is the Potato Dwarfdandelion?
The potato dwarfdandelion is a type of herb. This means it's a plant with soft stems, not woody ones like a tree. It's also a perennial, which means it lives for more than two years. It comes back year after year!
How Big Does It Get?
This plant can grow up to 50 centimeters (about 20 inches) tall. That's about the length of a standard ruler and a half! It's not a giant, but it stands out with its bright flowers.
What Do Its Flowers Look Like?
Each potato dwarfdandelion plant usually grows one flower head on each stem. These flower heads are very pretty. They have between 25 and 34 yellow or yellow-orange "ray flowers."
Ray Flowers vs. Disc Flowers
You might be wondering what "ray flowers" are. Think of a typical sunflower. The long, colorful petals around the edge are the ray flowers. The potato dwarfdandelion has these bright, petal-like ray flowers.
Some flowers, like many in the sunflower family, also have "disc flowers." These are the tiny, tightly packed flowers in the center of the flower head. Interestingly, the potato dwarfdandelion does not have any disc flowers. It only has the showy ray flowers!
Where Does It Grow?
The potato dwarfdandelion loves to grow in open, sunny areas. Because it's native to the southeastern and south-central United States, it's used to warmer climates. It thrives in places like open woodlands, prairies, and fields.
