Dandelions, with their vibrant yellow blossoms heralding the onset of spring, offer an array of benefits including nourishment, medicinal properties, and ecosystem support, while also enriching the soil beneath them. Despite their often-unwelcome presence, dandelions bring considerable value to the ecosystem, they add a splash of color to dreary landscapes, provide nourishment for early spring pollinators and humans alike, and evoke warm childhood memories of blowing puffballs.
Check out the storymap, where I emphasize the benefits of dandelions and map crowdsourced observations published by iNaturalist Esri Living Atlas layer, identify Koppen Climate temperate zones suitable for dandelions, and countries where this plant has been a native vs. introduced species.