Interesting Facts About the Dandelion

I've been interested in native gardening and native plants since I first heard it discussed a couple years ago.

Even farther back than that actually... as a child, I thought the weeds we worked to get rid of, like dandelions, were some of the prettiest flowers in the yard.

Who Decided That Dandelions Are Weeds?

I also wondered who decided which of the pretty blossoms were weeds and which were flowers.

The short answer to that is, it's a cultural thing.

In a culture where perfectly even, green, mowed grass is the norm, native plants with their wildness and color variations are considered weeds.

I'm discovering now that many of the blossoms we called weeds were simply native plants that nourished native pollinators.

Dandelions Are More Than Just Weeds

People trying to achieve a perfectly manicured lawn may not like these early spring blooms, but the dandelion is a lot more than just a weed.

In fact, every part of these colorful native plants can be used for either food, dye, or medicine.

Additionally, it's currently a popular trend to forgo the manicured lawns and pesticides and plant native instead - or allow a prairie style patch of wildflowers and native plants to take over.

This native gardening trend is considered good for the environment and a it provides a beautiful natural habitat for pollinators.

Dandelion Seeds Float

If you've ever seen dandelions in a native garden, or your yard, you may have noticed the blossoms become white and floaty after the colorful petals die.

For this reason, dandelions are one of the few plants that don't require pollinators; even though they're among the earliest spring blossoms and pollinators survive by feeding on them.

Dandelion Leaves and Blossoms Are Edible

Dandelion leaves can be used in salads or prepared as wilted greens with a vinaigrette dressing. Some people also add crumbled bacon to wilted dandelion greens.

The roots have been used as a caffeine-free coffee substitute over the years.

These plants provide a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, calcium, and iron.

Dandelion blossoms are popular ingredients in winemaking. However, it takes a LOT of dandelion blossoms to make wine.

Dandelions Are Hard to Kill

This isn't a surprise to anyone who has tried to kill dandelions by mowing them, but they grow right back and bloom again even if you chop them off close to the ground.

Dandelions Have a Long History as Medicine

While any medical issue should be discussed with your doctor, I wanted to add some of the historic medical uses for dandelions since the medical value speaks to why these native plants have value and why they’re more than just weeds.

As noted by WebMD, dandelions have been historically used to relieve conditions that involve swelling.

I think it’s important to note that these claims haven’t been scientifically proven, even though it’s claimed to have been successfully used for this for centuries.

Nine examples of conditions people claim to have cleared up by using parts of the dandelion include:

1. Tonsillitis
2. Kidney infection
3. Bladder infection
4. Urinary tract infections
5. Digestive aid
6. Appetite stimulant
7. Eczema
8. Acne
9. Itchy skin

40 Other Names for the Dandelion

I wanted to include a section about the other names for dandelions because it’s really common for native plant names to vary widely between different cultural groups.

I’ll put the Latin names in the list first and then the common ones.

1. Taraxacum officinale
2. Herba taraxaci
3. Taraxaci herba
4. Taraxacum
5. Taraxacum vulgare
6. Taraxacum laevigatum
7. Taraxacum sinicum
8. Taraxacum mongolicum
9. Taraxacum dens-leonis
10. Leontodon taraxacum
11. Dent de lion
12. Pu gong ying
13. Simhadanti
14. Piss-a-bed
15. Pisse au Lit
16. Pissenlit Vulgaire
17. Pissenlit
18. Blowball
19. Dandelion Extract
20. Cankerwort
21. Délice Printanier
22. Swine Snout
23. Cochet
24. Fausse Chicorée
25. Priest's Crown
26. Couronne de Moine
27. Red-Seed Dandelion
28. Diente de Leon
29. Wild Endive
30. Dandelion Herb
31. Tête de Moine
32. Dudal
33. Florion d'Or
34. Ghasedak
35. Florin d'Or
36. Endive Sauvage
37. Lion's Teeth
38. Laitue de Chien
39. Salade de Taupe
40. Lion's Tooth

Dandelions Are Fun for Making Wishes

One of the cutest customs associated with dandelions is making a wish while blowing the dried seeds into the air.

This is where the common name blowball (number 18 on the list above) comes from.

1. To use dandelions for making wishes, choose one that's completely gone to see and looks like a puffy white ball.
2. Make your wish.
3. Blow on it until all the seeds come off.
4. If the seeds all float away into the air, your wish will supposedly come true.
5. If any of the seeds remain stuck to the stem, you don't get your wish, according to legend.

Whether you love dandelions or hate them, there are some solid reasons to let them blossom, especially early in the season before other flowers bloom to provide food for pollinators.