What happens to a dandelion in water?

If you've ever blown a dandelion that's gone to seed, you've probably found that the little parachute-like seeds detach easily and seem quite delicate. However, dandelion seed puff balls are stronger than you think!

A whole dandelion head can be placed in water and removed again, almost completely undamaged!

What happens to a dandelion in water?

Each dandelion seed is attached to a tiny parachute-like structure ( called a pappus ) made up of lots of filaments, which allow the seed to fly away on the wind. This clever dispersal method clearly works well, as dandelions are very abundant.

Is a dandelion waterproof?

The pappus is hydrophobic, which means it repels water. When the tiny hairs are submerged, they trap bubbles of air that push back against the water, keeping the seeds dry.

A second factor in the waterproof feature of a dandelion is surface tension. Water molecules are very attracted to each other, which creates a 'skin' that can't squeeze between the many tiny hairs of the dandelion puffball.

This feature may help dandelions survive in wet conditions. If dandelion seeds didn't have a waterproof pappus they would become heavy and clump together when it rained, and then couldn't travel away from the parent plant with the wind!

Dandelion under water showing the hydrophobic nature of the pappus

Dandelion Facts

A special air bubble forms on the filaments above the seed, helping keep it in the air longer. This air bubble is called a vortex ring.
The word dandelion means lion's tooth.
Dandelion seeds are produced asexually, so they don't need to be pollinated. This means all dandelions are genetically identical to their parent plant.
Dandelion flowers close up at night. This is called nyctinasty.
All parts of the dandelion are edible!
Although they don't need to be pollinated, dandelions are a very popular food source for pollinating insects such as bees, moths, and butterflies. Their long flowering season makes them especially useful to insects. Next time you do some weeding, think about leaving some dandelions behind!

How does a dandelion clock form?

When the flower reaches a certain age, it starts to dry out, causing the petals to fall off and exposing the seed ball. When the wind blows, the seeds are carried away from the parent plant. This is called seed dispersal.