The seed heads of dandelions exhibit what botanists call phyllotaxis – the arrangement of leaves, seeds, or other plant parts that follows mathematical patterns. The seeds in a dandelion head are arranged in spirals that follow Fibonacci numbers (1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, etc.).
If you look carefully at a dandelion seed head, you can see two sets of spirals – one going clockwise and another counterclockwise. Typically, the number of spirals in each direction corresponds to consecutive Fibonacci numbers. For example, you might count 21 spirals in one direction and 34 in the other.
The seeds also grow at what’s called the “golden angle” of approximately 137.5 degrees. This specific angle is derived from the golden ratio (approximately 1.618) and equals 360° divided by the golden ratio squared. When new seeds form at this precise angle from the previous seed, it creates the most efficient packing arrangement possible.
This 137.5° angle ensures that no two seeds are directly in line with each other from the center, allowing maximum exposure to sunlight, air, and optimal use of space.
That mathematical precision isn’t unique to dandelions – it appears in many plants including sunflower seed heads, pinecones, and the arrangement of leaves around stems. This is the math of life.
