Whereas, I adore all wildflowers, the sweet violet is my favorite flower, I adore its heart shaped leaf. I have fond childhood memories of creating chained necklaces from the stems of the dandelion plant (trying carefully not to stain my hands and clothing with its milky juice), and blowing the seeded puffs, sending them floating wayward into the daytime breeze along with my silent wishes. Also, my sister and I spent many an hour upon our bellies in the backyards of our parents' and neighbors' homes in search of four leaf clovers among the clover patches to bring us luck while in deep conversation of our childhood musings.
As a compromise of our differing opinions, we have one section of yard that my husband has agreed to leave untouched. We allow the wildflowers (weeds?) to grow in this small area between our house and garage. We also have ferns and jack in the pulpit growing there. One of my simplest pleasures is hanging out our laundry to dry while barefooted, allowing my soles and toes to touch the untreated (chemical free) soil beneath me.
Do you view the yellow dandelion as an healthful herb or a weed?
Other names for the Dandelion (Taraxacum, officinale)
- Cankerwort
- Lion's Tooth
- Wild Endive
- Diuretic
- Detoxifier
- constipation
- acne
- eczema
- psoriasis
- arthritis
- edema (swollen ankles)
- osteoarthritis
- gout
- gallstones
- high blood pressure
- digestion problems
Key Constituents:
- Sesquiterpene lactones
- Triterpenes
- Vitamins A, B, C, D
- Coumarins
- Carotenoids
- Minerals (especially potassium)
- Taraxacoside
- Phenolic acids
- Minerals (potassium, calcium)
Leaf Only:
The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Natural Remedies by C. Norman Shealy M.D., Ph.D.
The Encyclopedia of Medicinal Plants by Andrew Chevallier
Article Dateline: May 2001
