The Dandelion - Much Hated in Suburbia But Useful and Beautiful!

Towards the end of winter each year a small but bright yellow flower pops up to provide one of the first splashes of color on the dreary landscape. But instead of being celebrated this first sign of spring is often pulled up or at best ignored.

This little flower is the dandelion--the bane of the suburbian quest for the perfect lawn.

But this little flower actually has a long history and the reason it has spread all over the world is because of its historical value to people.

Historical Use of the Dandelion

Did you know that the entire plant is edible? From the flower to the roots all parts can be used. As both a medicinal and a food plant the dandelion was spread all over the world.

Dandelions made the journey to the Americas (though there may be a few native types here too) with Europeans who brought it not by accident but on purpose because of the uses it had. To the early colonists it was no different than any other useful plant that they brought with them.

Since then it has gone wild and has often taken on a bitter flavor though there are still cultivated strains that you can buy--and yes I know buying dandelion seeds seems a bit strange but these strains are much tastier.

But even the wild types can be eaten. I often pick some of the leaves to add to my smoothies or salads.

Traditionally the flowers were used to make dandelion wine that is supposed to be sweet and fruity. The roots can be dried and ground up as a coffee substitute and the leaves/flowers can be eaten raw or cooked in all sorts of food. The flowers can also be used to make fritters.

Dandelions were also historically appreciated for the beauty of the flowers.

So What Happened? Why is the Dandelion Hated Today?

Hard to see but my new eco-lawn has a number of dandelions blooming in it. I'm leaving them but it sometimes is still hard for me to not view them as a weed.

My view is that this is one of those cases where culture shifted and we as a society moved away from growing food and focused more on growing controlled and manicured lawns. With this shift the dandelion became the enemy since it is hard to control and loves to grow in lawns.

I'm not immune to this cultural shift. Despite knowing full well the benefits of dandelions I still find it hard to shift my mindset. I remember removing dandelions from the lawn with my Dad while growing up. But I'm making a point to use dandelions more and more in my cooking to help adjust my view of them.

I'm also trying to take a moment to appreciate their beauty and enjoy the fact that they are both one of the first flowers to bloom in late winter and one of the last to stop in late fall. I know the bees love them.

But I still have a ways to go... perhaps dandelion wine is the path forward!

What about you? Do you use dandelions as a food and medicinal plant? Ever try making dandelion root coffee? Do you remove each one you see?

Please leave a reply with your answers--I would love to hear from you!

Dandelions—From Lawn to Lunch: A Good article from the Smithsonian about Dandelions and has a couple recipes for cooking with them.

This post was inspired by the contest being run by @kus-knee : The Old Dog Presents: "Reaping What You Did Not Sow" Round Five Contest! - the first picture in my post is my entry into the contest. I don't normally post on the weekend but I thought this would be fun :)

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