Tiny Yellow Flowers on Lawn: What Are They?

Have you ever noticed those tiny yellow flowers that grow on your lawn? You might have been wondering what they are.

There are a few different yellow flowers that are common in lawns and other grass areas. The first and most obvious are Dandelions, but you may also find meadow buttercups and Black Medick. Dandelions are most common in lawns, but you may find them on trails as well. Buttercups and hop clover are also found commonly on the trail or other grassy areas.

In this blog post, we are going to have a look at the tiny yellow flowers that you may find on your lawn, whether or not they are edible, whether they are easy to grow and how to get rid of them if you do not want them there anymore.

What do Dandelions Look Like?

Dandelions are a type of perennial plant which produce flower head composed of yellow or white ray florets. Dandelion plants grow in a rosette resembling an artichoke. The leaves themselves closely resemble those from its cousin, the daisy family (Asteraceae).

According to folklore, it is said that the name “dandelion” comes from Satan’s teeth. However, this seems unlikely as there is no mention in any known text of the Middle Ages. The French translation of “dent de lion” is the tooth or nail of a lion, and it is possible that this folk name came about due to its shape.

What do Buttercups Look Like?

Buttercups are small, yellow flowers that grow in a cluster, sometimes with one or more leaves. The flowers bloom around March and die back before they can create seeds. The genus name is “Ranunculus”, and they are easy to recognize because it is the only flower in its family that has five distinct petals when most have four or six.

This flower is said to stand for peace and calm because when you are near this plant, you will feel at ease! It also symbolizes hope so even if everything seems to be going downhill you should keep your head up because tomorrow will be another day. But I think the most powerful meaning of this genera is optimism.

What Does Black Medick Look Like?

“Black Medick” is a common name for Medicago Lupulina and is in the genus Trifolium. It is one of those flowers that you need to get up close to see because they are tiny.

The leaves of Black Medick are stalked, with smooth edges and near rounded lanceolate shape. The greenish-brown flowers bloom from July – September, each one on the end of its own stalks bursting with soft-hued petals.

Black Medick is a little bit like dandelions; there are many different varieties with white, yellow, or red blooms on long stems. The plant grows tall and has leaves similar to alfalfa plants.

Are Dandelions Easy to Grow?

Dandelions are a wildflower that grows extremely easily. I am sure you will have all seen dandelions that have gone to seed – the seeds have evolved to be carried by the wind and are one of the reasons why they tend to pop up all over the place.

Due to the Dandelions ability to show up in unwanted places like people’s lawns, many people consider the dandelion to be a weed.

Dandelion plants and flowers grow best when there is little in the way of competition for space with other species and plenty of sunshine to promote vigorous leaf growth. It also benefits when soil functions well on account of good drainage, food availability, and an abundant water supply.

Are Buttercups Easy to Grow?

Meadow buttercup (Ranunculus acris) is extremely easy to grow and grows prolifically in the garden, even if planted as a clump with six or so stems coming from one root system.

Meadow buttercup is a wildflower and is commonly classed as a weed, the female plants self-sow with abandon and can dominate fields and gardens if they are not controlled.

Is Black Medick Easy to Grow?

Black Medick can be grown very easily, and it will often thrive without any assistance or special treatment. The plant grows a rosette of large leaves which serve the dual purposes of blocking sunlight from reaching the soil and providing food for itself via photosynthesis. It also flowers in the spring, though this usually occurs after its first year of growth.

This plant thrives best when you do not interfere with its natural processes, but by providing perfect soil conditions (i.e., nutrients, moisture) and planting in an eastern- or northern-facing location with lots of sun exposure; you can guarantee that black medic will grow quickly and robustly while also ensuring future harvests by enhancing their seed viability rate through increased exposure to light.

Are Dandelions Edible?

Dandelions are edible raw but can also be cooked for several hours with butter as well as onions before being eaten like spinach. It was often used during World War II when other greens were hard to come by. Dried leaves have been brewed into a tea that has many supposed medicinal properties such as hair growth promotion.

The dandelion has been used as a folk remedy to stimulate bile production, help prevent gallstones from forming, promote digestive enzymes and improve appetite; serve as a laxative; increase urination; decrease blood pressure; act as a diuretic, and as an expectorant to expel mucous from lungs such as those with bronchitis or livedo reticularis (a disorder of peripheral circulation).

Are Buttercups Edible?

Buttercups are plants in the genus Ranunculus. These flowers are not edible because they all have a toxic chemical called protoanemonin. Protoanemonin is found in many plants and if ingested can lead to liver failure or cause poisoning symptoms such as abdominal pain, bloody diarrhoea, vomiting, and nausea.

Is Black Medick Edible?

“Edible” has a broad definition. Black Medick is not something that you should eat often, but it is definitely safe for human consumption in moderation and can be good if you want to build your immune system.

Black Medick is a herb, though it is not a foul-tasting herb. If it tastes bad, that usually means you have harvested it improperly and have chopped up the flowering head instead of the stems.

Be sure to let the plants dry out after harvesting them in late summer as if not prepared correctly, this plant can be hazardous, especially when oxidised due to heat from cooking or boiling. This may lead to cyanide toxicity with symptoms of nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, dizziness, and breathing difficulties.

Black medick has been used at organic medical centres in Germany for years because they contain anti-inflammatory agents which work to aid many ailments such as arthrosis and nerve damage and immune system disorders (the root of black medic, Medicago Lupulina – also known as Matlock or hop clover – contains 0.4% tannase – a type of tannin).

Fresh leaf tea helps with fevers while the dried leaves can be powdered for use in baked goods to help stimulate weight loss or ease colic during breastfeeding or simply relieve muscle cramps when making teas.

It is also sometimes used to help treat erythematous skin conditions (reddish patches caused by chronic inflammation).

How to Get Rid of Dandelions from Your Lawn?

For individuals who want to get rid of their dandelions, but do not have a great deal of time, there are several alternatives.

1. Weed killers allow you to go about your business without worrying about coming into contact with the weed and it can last for months at a time, assuming that the weather is in your favour.

2. Some individuals choose drastic measures, such as demolishing their lawns altogether with machinery or chemicals. This does not meet the needs of most homeowners though considering many people prefer to keep their lawns looking green all year long & do not wish to bulldoze, poison, rake, water, or replant again.

3. The third and most obvious way is to pull those pesky weeds up by hand. This is by far the easiest option and will not damage your lawn, but it does take time & patience.

As soon as Dandelions appear, pull them up – ensuring that you try and get as much of the root as possible along with all the leaves at ground level (this is to ensure that the root system is no longer receiving energy from the sun).

The time to pull up the Dandelions is when they are still small. If you wait too long, it will create an additional chore for yourself and can be difficult due to their size & root system.

You may use a wide variety of garden tools including your hands, trowel, or gardening fork.

How to Get Rid of Buttercups from Your Lawn?

The tricky part about controlling buttercup on lawns is the fact that there are no good control options. In some cases, chemical applications may work in limited areas for a limited time frame.

In general, it is better to use physical and cultural controls because you know those will work with any type of soil. If you get rid of the buttercup patches early enough in the spring, it will be easier to maintain a healthy turf all summer long – so do not wait too late!

One final note: if your landscape is under drought conditions or suffers from nutrient deficiency (lack of nitrogen), managing your turf can be troublesome because even if you have got healthy grass otherwise everything starts dying off.

How to Get Rid of Black Medick from Your Lawn?

Black Medick is a weed. Weed control methods that work well for other weeds should also work on Black Medick; but there are some unusual aspects to this plant. The roots of the plant tend to be quite deep and when treated with common post-emergent herbicides such as clopyralid or 2,4-D leaves can still regrow from these roots.

The best way to deal with black medic is by hand pulling any plants you may find before they flower and produce seeds.

Conclusion

So, as you can see, in modern times the tiny yellow flowers in your lawn are often considered to be weeds although historically they all served a purpose.

The best way to get rid of them although it involves more work is to hand-pull them to get rid of the roots. Once you have done that, it should be much easier and more effective to eradicate them from your lawn for good!

Although herbicides will work to get rid of these pesky plants, be warned that this method will likely kill your lawn too and then you are back to square one with an untidy, patchy lawn.

Garden Doctor Tips

“A good mowing schedule will help keep the lawn clear of pesky weeds and stop the flowers popping up and then producing seeds!”

“The best weed control for all of the above is to pull them up by hand – the hard work will be worth it in the end and keep your lawn fresh and green!”

“If you have pets like dogs and cats, you will want to make sure that your garden is clear of buttercups – they may get an upset tummy if they eat them!”

“Although many people consider the above flowers to be weeds, we don’t, we actually like a little colour in our garden, even if it is on the lawn occasionally!”

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Dandelions poisonous to dogs?

Dandelions are not poisonous to dogs, but it has been known to cause gastrointestinal upset if they ingest too many dandelions at once or over an extended period of time.

It is not likely to be fatal, but there are some cases of Dandelion poisoning reported in dogs. Reports include dry coughs, difficulty breathing, skin irritation and itching, and increased urination and thirst.

Symptoms usually subside on their own within two weeks without treatment after ingestion has stopped – though if symptoms occur for more than two weeks then veterinary attention should be sought.

Are Dandelion weeds poisonous to cats?

Dandelions are not poisonous to cats, however, if eaten in large quantities, they can cause mild stomach upset. Dandelions only pose a potential danger to cats when their leaves first emerge in early spring as they may produce a powerful laxative effect. Dandelions are most often used as a natural source of horticultural colour and food for humans and pets alike.

Are Buttercups poisonous to Cats and dogs?

Buttercups are poisonous plants that typically cause gastrointestinal irritation in cats and dogs, but if ingested in large doses they could be fatal.

Buttercup leaves, flowers, roots, and seeds can all contain rinobyne glycosides that cause photosensitization in cats and dogs leading to vomiting, diarrhoea, difficulty breathing due (especially for cats) with throat spasms or gagging from fluids in the mouth. Localized intense irritation may also occur around any contact with buttercups. This toxicity is not inhibited by cooking or freezing! The poison gets worse as exposure time increases.

Does Black Medick fix nitrogen?

Nitrogen fixers are plants that capture atmospheric nitrogen and convert it into ammonium ions, nitrate ions, or ammonia gas. Black medick is such a plant; its common name comes from the dark purple colour of its leaves caused by anthocyanin synthesis in response to nitrogen fixation. The scientific name Medicago Lupulina refers to the resemblance of hops (Humulus lupulus) which have a similar head shape when growing in dense clumps on long vines.

---

---

More You Might Like