little girl blowing dandelion seeds - Dandelions: Useful in Both Folk Medicine and the Modern World

I PICK DANDELIONS: An important part of our ecosystem

Last updated: January 20th, 2023

Shining like guineas with the sun’s warm eye on,
We almost think they are gold as we pass,
Or fallen stars in a green sea of grass.
– John Clare, “A Rhapsody”

This famous British poet was rhapsodizing about a very common perennial plant that many view as a pernicious weed—the dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). I have come to understand their importance in nature and admire their humble beauty.

The dandelion flower opens to greet the morning and closes in the evening to go to sleep. Bright yellow discs of tightly packed florets thrust upwards from jagged-toothed leaves, followed by fluffy white, delicate seed heads, looking like parachutes. My child self still delights in plucking and blowing these ephemeral floaters and watching them dance and disappear in the wind, spreading dandelion messages to a new spot to settle and grow again. 

The healing benefits of dandelions


fawn lying in a field of dandelions - Dandelions: Useful in Both Folk Medicine and the Modern World

The dandelion has been intertwined with humans for millennia. The English name is derived from the French ‘dent de lion,’ as the leaves were thought to resemble the teeth in a lion’s jaw. Dandelion is said to be one of the five bitter herbs that the Jewish people were required to eat during Passover.

The healing benefits of dandelions were well-known to ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans as a treatment for infections and liver disorders. They’ve been used in Chinese traditional medicine for more than a thousand years, when they make dandelion tea to soothe and move the bowels. The root is used in balms for oily skin and acne. The dandelion is still a part of herbal medicine.

Dandelions are rich in vitamins A, B, C, K and E, iron, calcium, magnesium and potassium. Every part of the dandelion, from the roots to the blossoms can be eaten raw or cooked—in salads, stir-fry or soup. However, avoid consuming anything contaminated with herbicides or pesticides. In Europe, dandelions are used to make wine or syrups, even as a coffee substitute. In France, dandelion flowers are used to make a jelly called cramaillote. Tangy and aromatic, this confiture has become popular for vegans as an alternative to honey.

Up until the 1800s, people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other “weeds” that were valuable in folk medicine, like chickweed, malva, and chamomile. Every year, we now spend millions on lawn pesticides to kill off native plants like dandelions so we can achieve immaculate, lifeless lawns and golf courses, while millions of gallons of water are used to keep such a fulsome green.

Now, we are coming full circle to appreciate dandelions as an important part of our ecosystem. Animals such as birds, insects and butterflies consume their nectar or seeds, and they’re one of the first foods for insects after hibernation. In the grip of climate change, our priorities are shifting to conserving water and preserving biodiversity. Rewilding, dry gardens, naturalistic planting, green roofs, grow your own, wildflower meadows, and organic measures replacing toxic chemicals—that’s what top of mind these days.

Dandelions are, quite possibly, one of the most successful plants that exist, masters of survival worldwide. Their secret is that their flowers don’t need to be pollinated to form seeds, and they have a long taproot. If you mow dandelions, they’ll grow shorter stalks just to spite you.

I’d prefer a world where the dandelion is welcome. So, join me and pick dandelions.

«RELATED READ» DANDELION, YOU’RE NOT SO BAD: Why do we kill you all the time?»


    image 1: Bess Hamiti; image 2: Jill Wellington

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