Keith Fowler, age 10, of Shreveport, La., for his question:

DOES THE DANDELION HAVE ANY VALUE?

Dandelion is a bright yellow, wild flower that you’ll find growing in many lawns and meadows. It is found in most of the temperate regions of the world and most gardeners consider it a troublesome weed that is difficult  to control. However, the dandelion can also be eaten.

Young dandelion leaves can be used in salads or they can be cooked. They taste best when they are young, before the plants have blossomed.

Originally the dandelion didn’t grow in North America. The early colonists, however, brought the plant to America from Europe. They introduced it as a vegetable.

The plant’s name comes from the French words “dent de lion,” which means “lion’s tooth.” The plant has smooth leaves with coarse notches, which look like teeth.

The dandelion’s golden yellow head is actually a cluster of flowers. The plant has smooth, straight and hollow stems. It also has a white, milky juice.

The root can grow to be about three feet long. It is thick and pointed with hairlike root branches growing from it.

The dandelion’s ovaries form fertile seeds without having to be pollinated.