A Word in Defense of the Humble Dandelion

​Taraxacum officinale
 
I realize most people think of Dandelions as “lawn weeds,” but as a child, it was the only flower I was allowed to pick. I loved seeing their bright yellow faces pop up and even better were the seed puffs you could blow (if Mom didn’t catch you and put a stop to it). My neighbor had a sign in her yard that said, “Weeds are just an unwanted flower” which made me instantly think of the Dandelions I loved so much, but seemed to be the bane of my mother’s existence.

Yes, it is true that they are a non-native plant that, due to its highly successful reproductive strategy, has spread across most of the world. The thing is these plants were intentionally brought to North America by European settlers for food and medicine. Every part of a Dandelion is edible and a highly nutritious source of vitamins A, C and K and well as iron. Their roots make a caffeine-free coffee-substitute and the flowers can be turned into jellies and teas, while the leaves are excellent greens for salads. Dandelions are known to help improve kidney function and promote overall health.

Lately, there has been a lot written about how Dandelions benefit wildlife, citing that they are one of the first plants to provide food for pollinators in the spring. Their leaves are also a food source for moth and butterfly larvae and they attract beneficial insects like ladybugs. The deep roots of the plant, which often thwart the weeder, also break up the soil and increase nutrients.

There are native species of Dandelion in North America, too, although they may not contain all the same properties as the intrusive original. These include the Horned or Alpine Dandelion (Taraxacum caratophorum) and the Harp Dandelion (Taraxacum lyratum). It might be worth checking with your local native plant society to see if these grow in your area.
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To me, though, the greatest value of the Dandelion is that it is magic. Ask any child. When you make a wish and blow the seed puff and watch them all float off in the wind like a flutter of faeries, you can truly see the wonder of nature. I worry that as we turn into adults, the world, specifically the natural world, loses its magic, but does it have to? Let yourself go and blow a seed puff again and see if your wish comes true, but maybe not in your neighbor’s garden.

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