Dandelion, belonging to the Asteraceae family, is a perennial herbaceous plant.

Its leaves are lanceolate or oblong-lanceolate, often with reddish-purple petioles and main veins.

The flowers are yellow with a pale green base and reddish-purple upper parts. The inner layer is linear. The achene is dark brown and lanceolate, with a white pappus, approximately 6 millimeters long. It blooms from April to September, and the fruiting period is from May to October.

Dandelion reproduces by seed propagation. The seeds once matured, can be sown anytime from spring to autumn. Depending on the field requirements, they can also be sown in winter in a greenhouse. For direct sowing in open fields, seeds are sown in rows spaced 25-30 centimeters apart, with a sowing width of about 10 centimeters.

After sowing, the seeds are covered with a layer of soil about 1 centimeter thick and lightly pressed. The seeding rate is 0.5-0.75 kilograms per acre. Broadcasting on leveled beds requires 1.5-2.0 kilograms of seeds per acre. For high-quality dandelion seeds, the seeding rate is only 25-50 grams per acre. After sowing, cover the seeds with grass to retain warmth. The seeds germinate in about 6 days.

To expedite germination, a warm water scarification method can be used. Seeds are placed in water at 50-55°C, stirred until the water cools, soaked for 8 hours, then wrapped in a damp cloth and kept at around 25°C. The cloth is moistened with warm water twice a day. Germination typically occurs in 3-4 days.

Mature dandelion seeds have no dormancy period and can be sown in moist soil when the temperature is above 15°C. Germination occurs in approximately 90 hours. Germination is faster at soil temperatures around 15°C and slower at temperatures above 25-30°C. Therefore, sowing can be done from early spring to late summer.

In early summer breezes, clusters of dandelions sway gracefully on the grassland, as if dancing a silent dance. Their delicate seeds, carrying the footprints of life, dance in the wind, conveying the message of life and spreading seeds of hope.

Language of Dandelion:

1. Unstoppable Love

The characteristic of dandelion is its dispersal by wind. Its seeds scatter with the wind, spreading wherever the wind blows, often used to describe "unstoppable love."

2. Freedom

After dandelions bloom, they produce seeds, which are dispersed by the wind. Their characteristic is freedom and unconstraint, often used to describe carefree days and attitudes towards life.

3. Go with the Flow

Its seeds scatter with the wind, rooting and sprouting wherever they land, nurturing life. Going with the flow, it's often used to express a relaxed attitude towards life, not fretting over trivial matters, and letting things take their course.

4. Courage

Dandelion represents courage, bravely flying alone, rooting and sprouting wherever the wind takes it, creating beauty in adversity, and finding more fertile soil to nurture life.

May we all dance in the wind like dandelions, spreading hope and radiating the light of life.