Adore the Dandelion!
You may see dandelions as pesky weeds, but did you know that they offer many benefits? These little yellow gems can improve soil health, have medicinal properties, and provide nutrition to humans and wildlife!
Dandelions are known to benefit the soil and grow where they are needed. They thrive in soil that is acidic, low in calcium, and compacted. If you let them alone, dandelions will improve your soil. Their deep taproot reaches deep down breaking up compacted soil and allowing water and air to circulate freely. The taproot also brings up essential nutrients like nitrogen and calcium, which enriches and helps neutralize our dense, clay-heavy Michigan soil when the plant dies. Dandelions will also fill in the shaded areas in your lawn that are not optimum for grass. Keeping some dandelions mingled in with your lawn can greatly support the vitality of your yard.
Dandelions have been around forever (okay, only 30 million years) and have been used by ancient cultures for their medicinal properties. The Egyptians, Greeks, Chinese, and Romans used dandelions to treat liver and digestive ailments, fever, skin conditions, and promote urinary tract health. Europeans brought dandelions along with them on the Mayflower in 1620 and Native Americans quickly adopted the plant as a food and medicinal herb.
WebMD reports that while more research is needed on the medical uses of dandelions, the plant has been shown to have diuretic, antibacterial and anti-inflammatory effects. Dandelion roots contain inulin, which promotes healthy probiotics in our gut, and tea from the root contains polysaccharides that help the liver filter harmful chemicals in the foods we eat. The potassium in dandelion tea may also help to stimulate the heartbeat, help the kidney filter toxins more effectively, and improve blood flow.
Dandelions are also edible and enjoyed by people all over the world. In Europe and North America, dandelion leaves are used in salads and cooked dishes, and the flowers are used to make dandelion wine.
In Korea, dandelion leaves are used in soups and stews, while in Vietnam, the flowers are used to make a tea that is believed to support liver health. The plant is high in vitamins A, C, and K and is also a good source of iron, folate, vitamin D, calcium, potassium, and zinc. The tender young leaves can be used as you would arugula, or you can sauté them as you would any green. The leaves are best picked before the flowers bloom, as they become bitter afterward.
It’s also fun for kids to eat the little yellow flowers on their own - they have a fresh, slightly sweet honey taste! Just make sure they haven’t been sprayed with chemicals before eating and remove the bitter green base first.
Perhaps most importantly, dandelions are an essential food source for wildlife - at least 93 species of insects feast on their nectar and another 33 species of wildlife rely on the plant for food. They are one of the first flowers to bloom in the spring and provide much-needed nectar for bees, moths, and butterflies. Dandelion seeds are also an important food source for birds. By leaving at least some dandelions in your yard, you can help support pollinator and bird populations.
In conclusion, dandelions are not just pretty harbingers of spring, but versatile plants with many benefits. They can improve soil health, have medicinal properties, and provide food for humans and wildlife. Such a hardworking little flower!
Interested in learning more about how dandelions benefit humanity? Click here!