Dandelion
Dandelion.jpg

Name/description

Taraxacum officinale syn. T. vulgare (Lam.) Schrank, T. dens leonis Desf.
Common names: Dandelion, Lionstooth, Clock, Blow-ball, Cankerwork, Bitterwort, Crow-parsnip, Dindle, Fortune-teller, Grunsel, Irish daisy, Monk's head, Stink davie, Swine's snout.

Description: A low perennial 15-30 cm, with a close basal rosette of leaves arising from a thick perennial rootstock. Lance-shaped leaves, 20-25 cm long, irregularly cut into deep triangular lobes like a lion's tooth (thus the name from the French "dent de Lion").
Upright single flower stalks arising from the centre of the leaves are leafless, smooth and hollow, containing milky juice.
Flowerheads 3-5cm across at the top of the stalk with bright yellow florets. When ripe, these turn into the fluffy "clocks", or seed heads. Flowers most of the year.
Reproduces by seeds and shoots from new roots (Felfoldi, 1993).

Habitat

Favours cool climates and pastures rather than crop land. Common in lawns and playing fields. (Felfoldi, 1993). They can indicate acidic soil, growing when the soil pH is below 7 and possibly indicating the need to add lime (depending on what you wish to grow).

Uses

Garden: The long taproot of the dandelion breaks up the soil, mining nutrients up to the surface, which are then made available to other plants when it dies. Earthworms like the soil around the roots of the plant (Permaculture Visions, 2009). I keep my dandelions on the border of my garden to exclude couch. I have not found them that invasive as long as I have other planting and mulch to compete with them.

Cooking: Some people use the small leaves in salads. I tried to eat one and spat it out as its bitterness was intolerable. Dandelion root is roasted and ground as a coffee alternative (no thanks!). Wine can be made out of the flower heads (but can you imagine how long that would take to gather enough!!).

Medicinal: According to the University of Maryland, 2009, dandelions are rich in vitamins A, B, C and D, as well as the minerals iron, potassium and zinc. Dandelions have been used to treat a wide variety of health problems in traditional Chinese, Native American Indian and Western herbal medicenes. Such health problems that these traditions claim dandelions help with include:

  • kidney disease
  • skin problems
  • heartburn/digestive disorders/stomach upset
  • appendicitis
  • breast problems (such as inflammation or lack of milk flow).
  • fever
  • boils
  • eye problems
  • diabetes

Today, dandelions are used as a digestive aid and to stimulate liver and gallbladder function (University of Maryland, 2009).
Of course, nothing should be taken medicinally without consulting a healthcare provider.

Control

Dig out individual plants with a rotary hoe or cut the crown well below the soil surface (Felfoldi, 1993).

References (information has been taken from these sources):

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