Dandelions

Dandelions are a gatherable wild crop in Timberborn. They appear on the map as naturally spawning plants that beaver workers with the Gathering skill can harvest for Food. Dandelions function as a basic, renewable Food source early in a settlement’s development and are part of the game's ecosystem of crops, bushes, and trees.

Dandelions are gathered by beavers assigned to gathering tasks or by buildings that can gather wild crops within their work range. They do not require planting, irrigation, or cultivation; instead they regrow on suitable terrain according to the game's natural resource respawn rules. Dandelions are counted among the goods used to feed the colony and are stored like other Food goods; if storage or distribution routes are full or blocked, gatherers may be unable to bring them back to stockpiles.

Practical notes and interactions:

• Dandelions are best used to supplement early Food supplies before farms are established or when crop yields are low due to drought or lack of infrastructure.
• They require no buildings or recipes to produce, which makes them reliable in the very early game or after disasters that destroy infrastructure.
• Ensure gatherers can reach areas where dandelions grow by maintaining paths and district connections; unconnected or inaccessible tiles prevent gathering.
• Keep storage capacity and distribution routes clear so gathered dandelions are delivered to Food stockpiles; status icons will indicate when buildings “can't distribute goods” or “no storage space available.”
• Dandelions compete with other wild resources; plan expansion and worker allocation so that gathering does not starve out other necessary tasks (construction, woodcutting, mining).
• Because dandelions respawn naturally, leaving patches undisturbed allows long-term foraging, but reliance on wild crops alone is unsustainable for large populations—transition to cultivated crops and farms as the colony grows.