Originally native to Europe and Asia, Taraxacum officinale, the common dandelion, was brought over to America on the Mayflower. It was used as a food crop and as a medicinal herb. It has now become naturalized throughout most of North America, as well as Australia and New Zealand. Its favorable qualities have been dismissed and now, like an innocent accused of a crime he never committed, it has been vanquished and branded as a noxious weed. The easily manipulated minds of the general population have been convinced that they should despise this cheerful spring flower. Millions of dollars are spent annually in an attempt to wipe out this tenacious plant species.
How many of us; however, have picked a dandelion for our mother, or someone we cared about, delighted by its bright yellow face, before we “learned” that it was not appreciated? How many of us enjoyed blowing on the soft puff balls and watching the breeze carry their tiny seeds away? I recall gathering a bouquet of dandelions for my grandmother. She did not teach me to hate them because she would gather the flowers herself and use them to make dandelion wine.
Native Americans and also the Chinese, have long known about the benefits of the dandelion. The tender young leaves can be added to salads, or prepared as you would prepare collard or mustard greens. They provide iron, calcium, and potassium to your diet. Dandelions have been used as a diuretic, to help remove toxins from the bloodstream. They have also been used to treat digestive disorders and disease of the liver, gallbladder, and spleen. A drink made of the dried roots contains more nutrients and antioxidants than your typical cup of coffee.
The woman across the street is complaining again because I have allowed my yard to remain unmowed for the past three weeks. I could tell her that in addition to the importance of dandelions and other spring blooming “weeds” in providing nectar and pollen for emerging insects, their deep tap roots also help to transport nutrients up from the soil depths, making them available to plants with more shallow roots. I could point out to her the flurry of birds that are continually visiting my birdbath to drink and to clean their dusty feathers. How could she not notice that my yard is filled with birds – and bird song? The grasses in my yard provide them with material to make their nests; and the seeds and insects provide them with food that they need to feed their young. I could tell her about the danger that herbicides and insecticides pose, not only to wildlife, but to her grandchildren, her pets, and her own health; but these facts would fall on deaf ears. I look down the street in any direction and I see sterile, manicured lawns, devoid of wildlife and often devoid of anything other than grass. The dandelion has been unfairly accused and bitterly condemned to death in most places; but I will continue to uphold its innocence and sing its praises.
