Spring is really here
– the
dandelions are in bloom. This ubiquitous yellow flower seems to spring up overnight to
create a cheerful floral display followed by billowy seed heads floating on long
stalks above the ground. The word "dandelion" means "lion's tooth," probably a
reference to its jagged leaves. Even though it's originally from Europe, I rather like this tongue-in-cheek description of
it's origin: "The dandelion has no origin; rather, its seeds
came into existence at the Big Bang and dispersed through all the dimensions of
spacetime, like background radiation and logic."
Taxaracum
officinale, a common plant of grassland and cultivated
ground, is found in
all parts of the Northern Hemisphere thru USDA Zone 3. Depending
on your perspective, dandelion is either a weed or wild vegetable that is more
nutritious than broccoli and spinach. Though never cultivated
as vegetables in Europe, they were brought to
market in England in the 19th century when lettuce and endive were scarce. And
dandelions appear on the menu in some locations. In Catalonia pheasant or
duck is often prepared with dandelions in the fall (el faisà o l'ànec amb queixals de
vella)
and in Macedonia Radíkia Me Rízi Tis Kyrías Agápis is a dish of dandelion and chicory cooked
with rice and pine nuts.
Cultivation!!!
Most people are less than enchanted with dandelions
–
particularly when they're more numerous than the grass in a home lawn. But this
plant is
actually cultivated in some places, and used for both food and herbal
remedies. Dandelion is amongst the hardiest of perennials, and will grow just about
anywhere,
regardless of soil conditions,
but rich soil will improve its growth. They withstand frost and freezes and tolerate
crowding. Heat and insufficient moisture will cause the leaves to get
bitter, but it won't kill the plant.
Should you actually want to grow dandelion
intentionally, sow the
seeds on the soil surface or slightly covered from early spring (4-6 weeks
before last frost) through late summer. They should germinate in ten days at
55 ºF. Space the plants six to nine inches apart in rows twelve inches apart.
You can also get a head start by sowing in early spring in a cold frame or
indoors, then transplanting the seedlings into individual pots when they are
large enough to handle (but use a pot deep enough to accommodate the tap root),
and then plant them out in early summer. It's essential to pick the flower heads,
not only to keep the plant's energy going to root and
leaf production, but also to spare yourself future weeding. Your crop
should be ready in 85 to 95 days. But check your local regulations before sowing
your crop; in some places (e.g. Pueblo, Colorado) it is illegal to grow
dandelions!
Commercial seed is available, but difficult to find in the U.S.
It's probably easiest to just harvest your own seed from plants in your own yard
or a neighboring field. There is even a variety called
"Thick-Leaved" which does, as the name suggests, have thicker
leaves than the wild type; and there supposedly are some other named varieties with
larger, more tender and less bitter leaves (but I couldn't find these names).
Medicinal Value
If you believe herbal medicine reports, dandelion is a virtual
pharamcological wonder with properties to cure everything from acne to yeast
infections. The latex-containing sap is a styptic and combats acne, boils,
diabetes, eczema and warts, while preparations of the leaves or roots are
purported to be a non-potassium depleting diuretic (supposedly as effective as
Lasix®) useful for treating fluid
retention, cystitis, nephritis, and hepatitis, and obstructions of the bladder, gall
bladder, kidney, pancreas and spleen obstructions, as well as for
snakebites, colon cleansing, nonspecific heart distress, and cooling energy (to "cool out excess liver
functions"). Plus it protects against cirrhosis of the liver and
cancer! Some caution is recommended: due to high potassium content those with diabetes mellitus,
kidney problems or taking ACE inhibitors should not take this herb.
Also, some people may be allergic to dandelions. If you're allergic to
latex you should also avoid handling fresh dandelions because of the latex in sap.
Eating Dandelions
Nearly all parts of this plant can be eaten. Regardless of which part you
intend to eat, make sure the dandelions have not been treated with chemicals and
wash them thoroughly to remove all soil and insects from the underside of the
leaves or roots. 
The leaves, which are are
high in calcium, potassium, and iron, are best when they are young and tender,
and are most flavorful in early spring before the first flower buds appear. They
can be consumed fresh or cooked in boiling water for 10 minutes to take away
some of the bitterness (especially leaves from mature plants). Or dress the
greens with lemon to reduce the bitterness. The slightly bitter young dandelion
leaves make a good substitute for chicory, arugula, escarole or curly endive or
for cooked spinach.
The roots can be eaten as a vegetable with a turnip-like flavor
if dug in early spring. The outer skin is very bitter, so be sure to peel them
first. Boil,
then drain, then cook and season the roots as you would carrots. Dried and roasted
2 year old roots
can be used as a
caffeine-free coffee substitute. Be cautious of ingesting too many roots as they
are reported to be both
a diuretic and a laxative.
Blossoms, too, can be eaten fresh, and are sweetest when picked
early in the season. They should be used immediately after picking because
the flowers will close up quickly. The flowers can also be used to make wine,
tea or jelly,
or young buds can be boiled, pickled, sautéed, or cooked in fritters. Or try them in
the following recipes:
|
Dandelion Salad |
|
1 Tbsp vegetable
oil
1 tsp cider vinegar or lemon
juice
2 cups young dandelion
leaves
1/4 cup sliced green onions
2 hard-cooked eggs, sliced
1/2 cup grapefruit sections
dandelion blossoms, optional |
| In a small bowl combine oil and vinegar. Combine the dandelion leaves
and onions; add dressing, and toss to coat. Arrange on two salad plates
and top with eggs and fruit. Garnish with blossoms if desired. |
|
Dandelion Jelly |
2 cups dandelion blossoms
1 quart water
1 package (1.75 ounces) powdered fruit pectin
5½ cups sugar
2 Tbsp orange extract
4 to 6 drops green food coloring, optional |
| In a saucepan, bring dandelion blossoms
and water to a boil; boil for 4 minutes. Drain through damp
cheesecloth, reserving 3 cups liquid and discard the flowers. In a large
kettle, combine dandelion liquid and pectin; stir well. Bring to a full
rolling boil over high heat, stirring constantly. Add sugar, and return
to a full rolling boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring constantly. Remover
from heat and add extract and food coloring if desired. Skim off foam.
Pour the hot liquid into hot sterilized jars, leaving ¼ inch headspace.
Put on lids and process in a boiling water bath for 5 minutes. Makes
about 6 half pints. |
|
Dandelion Omelet
|
¼ cup unopened dandelion buds
¼ cup chopped sweet red pepper
2 Tbsp butter, divided
4 eggs
½ tsp water
½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
salt & pepper to taste
dandelion blossoms, optional |
| In a 6-inch nonstick skillet, sauté dandelion buds and red pepper in
1 Tbsp butter over medium heat for 3 minutes. Remove and set aside. In
the same skillet, melt remaining butter. In a small bowl beat eggs,
water, and salt & pepper if desired. Pour half of the mixture into
the skillet and cook over medium heat. As eggs set, lift edges, letting
uncooked portion run underneath. When the eggs are cooked, sprinkle with
half of the cheese. Spoon half of the dandelion mixture over one half of
the eggs; fold omelet in half. Garnish with dandelion blossoms if
desired. Repeat procedure for remaining eggs, cheese and dandelion
mixture. Makes 2 servings. |
Controlling
Dandelions
No matter how many dandelion
leaves and flowers you pick to eat early in
the season, this probably won't be sufficient to control their spread in your
yard. Dandelions are generally only a problem in lawns that are not growing
vigorously enough to out-compete the weeds. The first step in dandelion control
is to create a thick, healthy lawn that will prevent dandelions (and other
weeds) from getting started in the first place. Perhaps your lawn needs more
fertilizer, or the soil is too compacted, or you have not been mowing the grass
at the proper height.
If you only have a few dandelions,
mechanical control may be the best option. Use a digging stick or other garden
tool that can be inserted into the ground along the dandelion root to pop the
dandelion and at least 2-3" of its root out of the ground. Plants will
regenerate from root pieces, particularly from the top half of the root, so try
to pull as much of the root out of the ground as possible.
Broadleaf weed killers, such as
2,4-D, dicamba, and MCPP, in the common "weed & feed" fertilizer
mixtures will kill dandelions whenever the plants are actively growing. Spot
treating individual plants that occur sporadically throughout the yard may be
more effective than broadcast treatments in well managed lawns. Although late
summer and early fall is the best time to control dandelions, spring
applications of 2,4-D will have some effect. Dry granular formulations must be
applied to wet grass and weeds; the material is only effective if it sticks to
the leaves. Liquid formulations can be applied anytime, but choose a calm day so
the material will not blow or drift onto other plants. Remember that broadleaf
weed killers will kill many plants, not just weeds. Dicamba is
absorbed through the root system of plants, so keep products containing this
herbicide away from shallow-rooted trees and shrubs to prevent injury.
Regardless of the product, read the label and mix and apply according to the
directions.
Roundup® or other
formulations of glyphosate are not the best choice for dandelion control. The
chemical quickly knocks back the leaves, but doesn't kill the root. The plant
that regenerates often has a group of weak stems coming back from the root, that
break off easily, making it even more difficult to dig out.
– Susan Mahr, University
of Wisconsin - Madison
Brand names are listed only for
reference. Such references are not intended as an endorsement by the University
of Wisconsin - Extension over similar brands.
Additional Information:
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The flowers are utilized by bees and other pollinators (insects can see UV light
which we can't: 
Dandelion can also reproduce vegetatively
from pieces of tap-root, with the upper sections of the root having
greater viability. The deep tap-root, up to 3 feet long (but usually
6-12"), allows it to survive drought and competition with other weeds. The stem contains
milky latex sap.