Making a Wish on a Dandelion
There’s something about a Dandelion that seems to take you back to your childhood. Maybe it’s their beautiful color or maybe it’s just the memory of picking up a Dandelion once it got to its “white, fluffy seed-like” stage, making a wish, blowing the seeds into the wind and watching them fly away with the wind. Whatever it is, Dandelions bring forth fond memories.
Image by Vince Alongi
The Dandelion is said to have originally come from Asia where it was used not only as a food, but a medicine as well. Dandelions get their name, however, from the French “dent-de-lion”, which means teeth of the lion. This is in reference to the jagged edges on their leaves.
Despite its many uses, Dandelions are often considered as a weed instead of a flower. They are tough, sturdy and resilient no matter where they grow. Because of the fact the Dandelion tends to bloom in early Spring, they are a very important food source for bees and other insects. Small birds also feast on Dandelion seeds.
In some places, you can find tea made from Dandelion roots and if you roast the roots, they apparently make a good coffee substitute. The leaves of the Dandelion can also be used in fresh salads or cooked and eaten like spinach. There’s even a Dandelion wine.
So take a look at the versatile “weed” we have affectionately come to know as the Dandelion.
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