You might not be a botanist, but see if you can find a dandelion. Dandelions are part of the Daisy family as well as sunflowers, asters and marigolds.
Dandelions change with the season. See if you can find different plants at different stages.
During the first year, the seed is dispersed and waits until the conditions are right to sprout. Temperatures begin to increase in the spring activating germination. The seed focuses on developing a deep tap root and grows a set of small leaves in a circular pattern close to the ground. These leaves are in charge of producing food.
In May and June, you’ll begin to see open yellow flower heads protected by green bracts (small leaves) searching for sunlight.
The plant will get stronger as it takes nutrients from the soil. The flowers close at night. Seeds begin to grow inside the closed flower head.
While the seeds grow bigger, the stalk grows very fast providing a rising platform for the new seeds to fly away. By late June/July, the flower will be transformed to a white fluffy head ready to disperse seeds in the wind.
You’ve been walking for a while. Here, you can choose to go back to the camp, on your left, or walk across the large, gravel parking lot going towards the paved road.
