I call bullshit on Dandelion. Dandelion indicates that there is a surface. That surface could be moist roofing tile.
this post was submitted on 26 Jan 2026
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I see it grow in concrete all the time, too.
Only when there's a crack, through which it can access the soil.
Nope, I've seen it grow on overpasses, too. Some plants just make due with minerals and water
Fair enough
Dandelion indicates ground (optional)
I remember seeing a dandelion growing out off an old rotten brick.
May be a false positive, 50-50 chance it's just floating there or growing out of obsidian in a volcano
That's not heather.
And I don't get the meme. Is the joke that these plants don't indicate anything except that there is soil?
Some of these plants indicate nothing (dandelion and clover), not even that there is soil to begin with.
But the heather and lavender indicate (very) nutrient poor soil. The soil heather grows on is very acidic and for lavender it is basic, calcium rich soil.
The stinging nettle soil is very rich in nitrogen.
So there are some easy indicators?
Trust the moss lover to know. Get back to the bog, old man.
(Kidding. It's part of the joke.)
The meme removed what they actually indicated for just "soil". It's absurdist, though technically correct.
Dandelions and nettles indicate "rabbits haven't got here yet"
Poppies indicate "the CIA hasn't sent the US Army here yet"
Clover indicates that leprechauns haven't got here yet. Return after Saint Patrick's day to find loose chunks of gold.
Lavender indicates that artisanal soap makers haven't got here yet.
Heather indicates - oh, it's gone. They're here.
I have most of these in my yard and this is helpful. I was getting worried and confused about what might be under them.
Don't worry, they'll all grow over buried bodies.
Grass indicates that the owner isn't a gamer.
In other news, I’ve got a parsley plant that grew underneath the pavement between our house and the garden, and now we’ve got wall parsley that somehow grows and tastes better than the various other parsley plants that aren’t directly touching the brick wall
Maybe there's some lead in those bricks. I hear lead is delicious.
Orchids indicate s... Wait...
diversity? alot of orchisds are Epiphyties on trees, or some rare strategy like mixed or full mycoheterorophy(hence diversity)