A perennial from a basal rosette with yellow flowers and a 'puff-ball' seedhead. Some Dandelions, such as Taraxacum officinale, are common and problematic weeds of turfgrass and lawns throughout the United States and elsewhere. Others, such as Taraxacum californicum, are endangered.

Dandelion can occur as a weed of container ornamentals, landscapes, nurseries, orchards, and occasionally agronomic crops. Some are used for medicinal purposes and as food.