Dandelion has the scientific name Lactuca Indica – belongs to the daisy family Asteraceae. Dandelion flowers not only bring fragile beauty but also a meaningful symbol of life.
Dandelion is a medicinal herb with many uses for human health, dandelion flowers and leaves contain many vitamins and minerals such as calcium, iron, and vitamins A, C… so they are used in many remedies.
Dandelion has many effects in the treatment of diseases such as skin diseases caused by fungal infections, bacterial infections, diabetes, improving liver function, good for bones and joints, preventing cancer, improving sugar diarrhea, and many other diseases.
Dandelion plants can grow everywhere in large numbers because their seeds can be carried by the wind. However, dandelion plants are often confused with weeds because they are similar in appearance and flowers.
In particular, dandelion is non-toxic while some other grasses are often poisonous and affect the health of humans and animals. So, if you want to distinguish dandelion from other common grasses, you can refer to 5 weeds that look like dandelions to distinguish and remove.
Top 5 Weeds That Look Like Dandelions
We have listed the 5 most common types of grass that many people mistake for the dandelion plant. Some of these weeds are poisonous so you need to be careful to remove them from your garden to avoid harming herbivores and children.
1. Bristly Hawkbit (Leontodon Hispidus)
Bristly Hawkbit (Leontodon Hispidus) also known as Raw Hawkbit and Hardleaf Hawkbit, belongs to the sunflower family (Asteraceae).
The flowers of Bristly Hawkbit are very similar to those of a dandelion with small, yellow petals. The biggest difference between the Bristly Hawkbit and the dandelion plant is that its leaves are much narrower and its flower heads are borne on hairy stems.
Bristly Hawkbit is also a weed with an extremely vigorous growth rate. They are grown from seeds while their seeds will also be carried everywhere by the wind.
Therefore, to get rid of this weed, you only have to do not let them seed, and regularly prune and remove the roots to limit growth in favorable weather conditions.
2. Catsear (Hypochaeris Radicata)
With a similar appearance in size, color and growth characteristics, Catsear is very often confused with the dandelion in each family’s garden.
Catsear has an asterisk pattern of leaves at the base with long, slender stems, and yellow flowers resembling those of dandelions. This weed is common in lawns, gardens, and roadside areas with vigorous vigor despite the negative effects of the weather.
This grass grows very quickly, reproduces, and spreads everywhere within a short time. The best way to kill this weed is to root it out to prevent it from growing from the root.
However, if you are dealing with large amounts of these weeds, you can use an herbicide or lawn mower to get rid of them.
In particular, Catsear is a poisonous grass that affects the health of pets and people, especially children. Therefore, you must keep them away from children and herbivorous pets in your garden.
3. Coast Dandelion (Agoseris Apargioides)
This grass is yellow, with long, slender stems, deeply lobed leaves, and flower heads about an inch in diameter. The outer appearance of the flower is very similar to that of a dandelion.
The name of this grass is also known as dandelion but they are not the common dandelion variety. They are native to coastal California to Alaska and grow in open areas such as beaches, dunes, and cliffs.
Agoseris Apargioides also belongs to the sunflower family (Asteraceae), is an annual plant that grows by seeds and is grown everywhere by the wind carrying seeds.
Therefore, this type of dandelion is also considered a weed because it grows in large numbers and quickly, making it impossible for other crops to grow and develop.
Like other weeds, Agoseris Apargioides cannot be destroyed by pruning, they can only be removed by rooting or using herbicides to kill them.
This is not a one-time job that you will have to repeat often to avoid small sprouts that will continue to grow rapidly after only a few days.
4. Meadow Hawkweed (Pilosella Caespitosa)
If you just glance at it, it will be difficult for you to distinguish between meadow hawkweed grass and dandelion plants because they are quite similar in appearance.
However, if you look carefully, you will notice a few distinct differences such as the leaves of this plant are deeply lobed and have a hairy texture, while the flowers are small and yellow-orange instead of yellow like a dandelion.
Its orange-yellow flowers would be the most obvious distinguishing mark between hawkweed and dandelion, however, if the plant hasn’t flowered yet you can see it by its deeply lobed leaves and the resulting in their hairy texture.
To get rid of this weed completely, you still only have 2 most basic ways: dig up the roots to dry to remove the young sprouts or use herbicides.
In addition, you can cover the grass surface with plastic, making it impossible for them to photosynthesize, exchange oxygen and lead to a gradual death.
5. Narrowleaf Hawksbeard (Crepis Tectorum)
This grass is also often confused with dandelions when they are young. The biggest difference is that this grass does not have yellow flowers like dandelions.
In particular, Hawksbeard has narrower leaves than dandelion and is smaller in size. Narrow leaves often grow in clusters, while dandelions often grow singly or in small groups.
This grass grows very quickly and spreads in fields across North America. Although these weeds are not poisonous, they have a great influence on the growth of other plants because their growth rate is too fast and too dangerous.
To get rid of this weed, you should treat the roots and do not forget to burn them when they are dry in the field, otherwise, the remaining roots can still cling to the soil and continue to grow rapidly after only a few days.
Read more: Weeds That Look Like Parsley? Easy Way For You To Distinguish
Conclusion
The dandelion plant has several medicinal uses as well as is non-toxic, while many types of grass that look like dandelions are poisonous and harmful to the health of people and pets.
Some grasses you may often confuse with dandelions include:
- Bristly Hawkbit (Leontodon Hispidus)
- Catsear (Hypochaeris Radicata)
- Coast Dandelion (Agoseris Apargioides)
- Meadow Hawkweed (Pilosella Caespitosa)
- Narrowleaf Hawksbeard (Crepis Tectorum)
To get rid of these weeds, you need to root them out, or use herbicides. Do not forget to burn them when they have dried and do not leave any leftover sprouts because they will quickly grow back after only a few days when the weather conditions are favorable.