Oh Dandelion, one of the best Spring greens and nature’s food for our modern day society. Dandelion, Taraxacum officinale, also goes by the name Lion’s Tooth, a very relevant name referring to it’s often sharp pointy looking leaves. It’s often a highly loathed plant by anyone that prefers a pristine green lawn filled solely of grass. The disdain seen for this plant is the cause of numerous pesticide commercials this time of year presenting war against a solemn yellow flower. This plant however is the ultimate people plant, as it only grows on the paths of humans and is basically food for the malnourished bodies of modern day society.
As much as humans trample, spray, and curse Dandelion, it still persists and even grows through the smallest of cracks. The endurance it has and it’s ability to live in the most unimaginable places (like in the middle of pavement) is something of great reflection to remember how much humans need this plant and how much Dandelion is constantly showing up for us despite the disrespect it’s often given.
Dandelion flowers are the first main source of food for the bees. When they first come up try to avoid mowing so the bees can have a chance to collect some of their pollen first before other blooms come out. An easy walk outside shouldn’t take you long to spot a bee enjoying a Dandelion.
Dandelion is food for our livers helping support them and work more efficiently at that their job, especially when many in our society don’t necessarily support them with the wisest of food choices. Dandelion, like Nettles that I profiled a little last week, is loaded with minerals and vitamins including iron, copper, vitamins A, B1, B2, B5 B6, B12, C, E, D, E, and P, biotin, calcium, chloride, magnesium, silica, and potassium, phosphorus, and zinc just to name a few 😉
The whole plant can be used medicinally and the roots is what is most often used medicinally for it’s amazing kidney and liver support. Dandelion is known as the best herbal diuretic as it’s high potassium content doesn’t cause a depleting imbalance in the system like prescription diuretics can as it adds to the potassium levels rather than depleting them.
This time of year is great to harvest the leaves for eating as they get more bitter and tough as they age throughout the season. The bitter taste is part of it’s medicine however as the taste of bitter stimulates digestion and gets things moving. Sautéing the leaves is a great way to consume them or you can simply add them into salads. I always add in a little bit of flowers for color to salads. You can also bake with the flowers! Dandelion cakes and cookies are delicious. Just remove the petals as the green below is very bitter.
I love using dandelion oil made from the flowers for lymphatic massage as it has an affinity for breast tissue and supporting our lymphatic system, very much like Violet does but not as strong. Self massage is a great way to support our immune system and also our nervous system as well bringing more calm into our world. Plus the color of the sun these flowers bring carry with them that uplifting energy to use in the winter when the skies are gray. Double duty for bringing joy into our lives!
I hope you can start to see the importance of this often neglected weed. Let me know how you enjoy working with Dandelion!
