Dandelion seeds travel on the wind, carried by a tiny parachute of fine hairs attached to each seed.

The longer version

Each dandelion seed carries a tuft of fine hairs called a pappus, which acts as a tiny parachute. The structure creates drag, so the seed falls slowly and stays airborne long enough for even a light breeze to lift it away from the parent plant.

The arrangement matters as much as the size. The hairs sit slightly apart rather than forming a solid disc, allowing air to flow between them and form a small stable vortex above the seed. That pocket of moving air keeps the flight steady and helps the seed travel over fences and across open ground.

Where this entry sits

Plants and Trees gathers ordinary and surprising details about how green things live, from the tallest forest giants down to the moss on a garden wall. Expect notes on flowers, seeds, roots, leaves, fungi, and the quiet tricks plants use to spread and survive. The full list sits on the Plants and Trees page, where every entry is listed in order.

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