Clock the clock

There is something wonderful about the Dandelion Clock or seed head. Children gently pick the long milky stems, hold them about six inches from the face and blow to see how many times it takes before all of the seed parachutes have left the stem. This is a game that is played by very young children - ‘telling the time with a dandelion seed head fondly known as a dandelion clock:

• One blow   =   one o’clock
• Two blows =   two o’clock
• Three blows = three o’clock
• Four blows =   four o’clock
• Five blows =   five o’clock and so on and so forth

 Close-up of a dandelion seed head ‘clock’ 

Dandelion Clock

Dandelion seed-head 

  Dandelion single seed displaying the feathery pappus that aids the seed to float in the breeze with its parachute shape

Close-up of the Dandelion fine thread of the pappus on the seed head