As a kid, I spent endless summer hours armed with a weeder.I was like a child Houdini of the suburbs, disappearing dandelions from the front yard, backyard, and the cracks in the driveway. Given the success of the herbicide industry in this country, you probably have a long, troubled relationship with dandelions, too. But pump the brakes on the weed wacker. We’re adults now. We can have beer for dinner, author our own sick notes, and love the plant we were taught to hate. Allow me to re-introduce the dandelion.
Let’s begin at the (sort of) beginning.
The botanical name for dandelion is Taxacum officinale, and it is a member of the daisy family. In its name we get a glimpse of this mighty plant’s importance. “Officinale” essentially means used in medicine: plants bearing the designation “officinale" could be found in ancient pharmacies. When colonists traveled from Europe to the Americas, they brought cattle, disease, and medicinal plants. Imagine relying on a plant so much that you hand-carried its seeds across the ocean on a boat without toilets.
Dandelion is a really, really, really nutritious plant.
Its tooth-shaped leaves are rich in minerals like magnesium, copper, folate, calcium, potassium, manganese, and iron. It is jam-packed with Vitamin A, E, K, B6, B2, B1, and C. The leaves are bitter, and the intensity increases over the summer. If you start now, you will become more tolerant to this bitterness as the summer progresses. Bitter flavors are great for digestion and curbing sugar cravings. Eating more dandelion can be as simple as sprinkling a handful of chopped leaves into your next salad. It will get your digestive system pumping and primed for a summer diet of mostly raw vegetables... and hot dogs and ice cream. You can live your life and take care of yourself at the same time!
Processed with VSCO with c1 presetPhoto by Christine Buckley
Dandelion is a convenient plant.
Dandelion that’s safe to eat can be plucked from herbicide free suburban or country yards, urban parks, or a sunny trailside on a hike. Just be sure to leave some for the bees, other animals, and humans. You could keep sending away for magical elixirs from far off lands or you could go outside. Just saying.
Dandelion is a versatile plant.
Out in the world, dandelion roots do the dirty work of cleaning up, like removing lead from soil. (If you’re unsure of soil toxicity, best not to pick & eat for now.) Its roots are deep and skilled at grabbing onto and pulling up minerals. I find a powder of the roasted roots most helpful in the morning or as a midafternoon pick me up. I like to mix a teaspoon with 8 oz. of warm hemp milk and a spoonful of honey. It tempers my craving for caffeine and gently encourages my system to get working.
Dandelion is a storeable plant.
Its sunny flowers contain wonderful remedies for the blues. Bummer to bring up winter just as summer finally arrives, but, if we prepare now, our chances of enjoying January through March will be greater. The summer solstice comes on June 21. Pick some yellow dandelion tops, remove the green sepal holding the flowers together, cover them with honey in a jar, label, and cap until the winter solstice on December 21 for a little summertime flower power.
Dandelion is a reliable plant.
Despite thousands of Americans armed with weed wackers, herbicide, and lawnmowers, dandelion is thriving. It survives being stepped on, peed on, and paved over. Call it hippy dippy BS if you want, but I believe the determination of dandelion translates to our bodies once it’s inside. Consider what Guido Mase wrote about dandelion in his book The Wild Medicine Solution: “It keeps waving its little flag for a reason: it is the best medicine for you right now.” Make an alliance with dandelion this summer and you’ll have a lifelong delicious pal.
Want something to cook with dandelion?
Feel free to use any of the leafy greens listed here, but dandelion is ideal for its spicy, sturdy leaves.
