My friend eats dandelions

Their white fluff has been in the air for the past few days. Now the dandelion seeds are nestled – so fertile – into the soil and patchy lawns of my neighbourhood. Nearby you see the rubbery stems of last year’s crew.

Wind dispersal of seeds

Known in some circles as “Prince in Pauper’s Clothing” or “Piss in Bed,” the dandelion releases its seeds into the air. Perhaps it has a sexy aspect, if you think about it, but I’ll say no more on this PG-13 blog of mine.

I love this botanist-writer’s description of their flight: “Like an endless army of parachutists released from an airplane, seeds and fruits travel the wind currents and gentle breezes of the earth…” (from “Blowing in the Wind: Seed & Fruit Dispersal By Wind.” Wayne’s Word Noteworthy Plants: February 1999.)

Of course, lawn-owners don’t like them, and some people use weed killers. But in response to health concerns, many jurisdictions – Leeds, England, for example – banned some pesticides and are now seeing a proliferation in the dandelion population. Journalist Neil Hudson talked with botanists in Leeds for his story Leeds dandelions plague.

In this Yorkshire Evening Post article, Hudson quotes Amanda Walker, a countryside ranger near Leeds: “The dandelion is a beneficial weed but has a bad reputation. It has been described as a plant which we once knew the use of but have since forgotten.”

The folks at Australia’s “Herbs are Special” website certainly haven’t forgotten the dandelion, which they refer to as a “…valuable herb… revered… throughout history, regarded as one of the very best herbs known for gall, spleen and liver complaints, and one of the safest and most active plant diuretics…”

The website says the dandelion is “rich in calcium, chromium, iron, magnesium, manganese, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, selenium, silicon, zinc” and also contains Vitamins A, B1, B2, B3, C, E.

My friend eats dandelions

Perfect timing! My friend Dean just got back to me via Facebook with details on why he eats dandelions.

“they are free! and every where! and their nutritional profile beats anything found in stores. u can eat/ harvest the whole plant,” he says in a Facebook message to me. “the yellow flower has lotsa lecithin which is good for the liver and the brain! the roots make up a great roasted beverage the greens are super for the liver great for anemics n great for bone health (mineralization).”

For more info, Dean recommends this article The Health Benefits of Dandelions

So… should we just start harvesting them and forget about the lawns?

Tags: dandelion benefits, dandelion tea, lawn care, lawn control, lawn gardening, lawn killer, weed lawn