heterophylly

In recent years I’ve been keeping the dandelions in my garden for the bees whereas before, I’m embarrassed to say, I used to remove them. One of my long-term goals is to learn more about them and how to identify them.
 
If dandelions are in my garden or local to me, it’s a lot easier to observe them. I’ve noticed how the initial dandelion basal rosette leaves are different from the later leaves.I’ve seen this rosette near me in Jeffrey’s St since July 2021. I wasn’t even sure it was a dandelion.
 
dandelion rosette
 
By March 2022 it was looking more like a dandelion and had lots of buds.
 
dandelion buds
 
By April 2022 it bloomed. I have to be careful taking photos of urban wild plants as so often people see me paying attention and promptly remove them.
 
dandelions
 
I decided to research these dandelions at the LNHS library and read about these varying leaves
 
 
and learned it’s called heterophylly
 
 
The dandelion rosette in one of my pots was enormous in October 2021
 
dandelion
 
. By February 2022, fresh, smaller leaves in the centre, that’s heterophylly.

dandelion