THE LIFE CYCLE of A DANDELION...
#abfav_APRIL
I could ALSO have titled it: The Beautiful, The Ugly, The Soft and the Bald? LOL.
It is that time of year again that these yellow stars take over the grass.
I am doing another one of my 'FLOWER-STUDIES'.
This time on the humble Dandelion. Taraxacum, the common name is dandelion (from French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth").
After flowering is finished, the dandelion flower head dries out for a day or two...
The dried petals and stamens drop off, the bracts reflex (curve backwards), and the parachute ball opens into a full sphere.
Finally, the seed-bearing parachutes expand and lift out of it.
The parachute drops off the achene when it strikes an obstacle.
After the seed is released, the parachutes lose their feathered structure and take on a fuzzy, cotton-like appearance, often called "dandelion snow".
All of this happens in the time-span of 2 days!
Another thing I love about being a photographer, you start looking in a 'different' way?
We don't like them in our gardens. AND YET: The dandelion plant is a beneficial weed, with a wide range of uses, and is even a good companion plant for gardening.
Its taproot will bring up nutrients for shallower-rooting plants, and add minerals and nitrogen to soil.
It is also known to attract pollinating insects and release ethylene gas which helps fruit ripen.
Taraxacum seeds are an important food source for certain birds.
Enjoy and make the BEST of every day! Thank you, M, (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved
THE LIFE CYCLE of A DANDELION...
#abfav_APRIL
I could ALSO have titled it: The Beautiful, The Ugly, The Soft and the Bald? LOL.
It is that time of year again that these yellow stars take over the grass.
I am doing another one of my 'FLOWER-STUDIES'.
This time on the humble Dandelion. Taraxacum, the common name is dandelion (from French dent-de-lion, meaning "lion's tooth").
After flowering is finished, the dandelion flower head dries out for a day or two...
The dried petals and stamens drop off, the bracts reflex (curve backwards), and the parachute ball opens into a full sphere.
Finally, the seed-bearing parachutes expand and lift out of it.
The parachute drops off the achene when it strikes an obstacle.
After the seed is released, the parachutes lose their feathered structure and take on a fuzzy, cotton-like appearance, often called "dandelion snow".
All of this happens in the time-span of 2 days!
Another thing I love about being a photographer, you start looking in a 'different' way?
We don't like them in our gardens. AND YET: The dandelion plant is a beneficial weed, with a wide range of uses, and is even a good companion plant for gardening.
Its taproot will bring up nutrients for shallower-rooting plants, and add minerals and nitrogen to soil.
It is also known to attract pollinating insects and release ethylene gas which helps fruit ripen.
Taraxacum seeds are an important food source for certain birds.
Enjoy and make the BEST of every day! Thank you, M, (*_*)
For more: www.indigo2photography.com
IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN (BY LAW!!!) TO USE ANY OF MY image or TEXT on websites, blogs or any other media without my explicit permission. © All rights reserved