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| Dandelion Taraxacum officinale |
Dandelion was introduced to the US by different people who intentionally brought roots and seeds with them from Europe. These immigrants used this common weed as medicine, raising bees, and simply to remind them of home.
Dandelions love to be around people and cool and damp weather. It is often confused with the False Dandelion (Hypochaeris radicata) which flowers in the hottest, driest parts of the year.
Each bloom is made up of numerous strap-shaped florets of a bright golden yellow. They react closely to the weather, opening up with the sun and closing at night and in rainy weather.
The fruit is a large gossamer ball made up of many plumed seeds or pappus. Distributed by the wind. Loved by children who make wishes as they blow the seeds away. The leaves are very somewhat according to their environment. All are hairless, linear to oblanceolate. They grow directly from the base or crown and have cut margins, the teeth of which point back towards the base. The fresh root is about as thick as the little finger, round, tapering, branched, light-brown externally, whitish internally and exudes a milky juice. The dried root is dark brown and shriveled with lengthwise wrinkles.
I fell in love with Dandelion this weekend. It started when I watched a youtube video on three recipes to make with dandelion flowers. She made vinegar and a tea and I can not recall the other one because I wasn't interested in it. Saturday morning came and the sun was out with a fresh cool breeze and these cute yellow blossoms caught my eye and I ran with it.
I got my big white colander and began pinching off the flowers. My yard was full of them it was quite beautiful really. My 7-year-old son, Cedar came galloping towards me in his oversized snow boots, to see what I was doing. He wasn't interested in helping me bend over and pick each flower but he did ask me why I didn't pick all of them in each clump.
While collecting flowers Cedar goes off and fills the little blue pool up with clean water to play in. I stumble upon the most perfect Lion's Tail flower I have ever seen, radiating Priest's Crown pureness I reach down and pluck it off its hollow stem, I am left with the feeling of the bitter juice on my fingers. I take a few pictures and finish up.
I am not sure who's the idea it was to wash the flowers off in the pool but it got the job done. I swished the Puffball flowers around with my hands to wash any ants and little bugs off the Blowball petals. The kids each had a turn with the washing.
It was Cora's turn and she drained the Swine's Snout flowers and brought them inside were I thoroughly went through and washed and picked out all grass and outdoor items. I let them dry in the colander for a couple of hours while the Mason jar I had gone through the dishwasher, I wanted a sterilized jar and lid.
We had an unopened jar of Apple Cider vinegar on the shelf so I thought to myself what a perfect time to make Swine's Snout vinegar for my family. I filled the jar with flowers kind of packing it down and then filling and cover the flowers with ACV and sealing it with a sheet of parchment paper and a lid.
It needs to be stored for 4 weeks in a cool dark place. I'll update when it is finished!
I had some leftover flowers that didn't fit in the jar. The second recipe the youtube lady said was so simple and I had the lemon balm and peppermint growing in my yard. Cedar helped me pick some lemon balm and I got some peppermint leaves. it all fit perfectly in a half-pint mason jar. I boiled water and poured to cover the leaves and left it to steep for 30 minutes.
The taste was very pleasant with mild peppermint and lemon tones. I liked it very much but no one else was into it, Cora did try to take a sip.
I am going to talk about the medicinal properties of Dandelion aka as Lion's Tails, Blowball, Priest's Crown, Puffball and my favorite Swine's Snout because I am so blown away at what this noxious weed can do for us internally and externally. Its high potassium content, higher than any other medicinal plant investigated to date enhances its diuretic qualities. Synthetic diuretics tend to strip potassium from the body causing problems such as constipation and stomach cramps. It is one of the most effective medicinal plants for inducing the flow of bile and gastric juice and will stimulate the kidneys, gall bladder, bladder, liver, spleen, and pancreas. It is also a storehouse of nutrients and a valuable cleanser due to the high sulfur content and will help eliminate urea and uric acid. The leaves contain Iron, Copper, Silicon, Magnesium, Sodium, Calcium, Potassium, Phosphorus, Sulfur, Vitamins: A, B1, B2, B3, C, D, the liver regulating substance, Choline, and some proteins and fats. Wow!
I have been working on my A to Z Herbal Apothocary and recipes. I included the Dandelion excerpt here:
Parts used: Roots, leaves, flowers, latex Helpful for: Constipation, water retention, poor appetite, rheumatism, and arthritis. Therapeutic actions: Alterative, anodyne (flower), antiarthritic, anti-inflammatory, aperitif, bitters, cholagogue, digestive, diuretic, emollient (flower), hepatic, kidney stimulant, laxative (root-mild), lithotriptic, nutritive, tonic
Both the leaf and root of dandelion offer wonderful medicine that can easily be incorporated into your daily diet. The leaves are only slightly bitter, and the root makes any stir fry a bit more lively. The root is considered an alternative herb, meaning it helps optimize the nutrient uptake and waste output of the body and aids metabolism. This translates into helping the body clear toxins, so dandelion is often referred to as a blood cleanser. The leaves are diuretic and help the body maintain a healthy water balance. There have been reports of dandelion successfully reducing rheumatism, perhaps due to its ability to clear the body of built-up waste by-products.
Dandelion is such a versatile herb with a variety of potential medicinal preparations. Roots can be tinctured, either fresh or dried, and teas and infusions can be prepared from the dried root. Roasted dandelion root can serve as an herbal alternative to your daily cup of coffee. Leaves are ideally tinctured while fresh, and roots can be prepared with dried leaves. After wilting or drying individual flower petals, the slender yellow rays can be infused in a base oil for the creation of nourishing salves and creams. The milky sap can be applied directly to the skin for warts. Best time to harvest for flowers and leaves in spring and summer. Harvest roots in the early fall. Early leaf growth should be harvested while still young to reduce bitterness. Flowers can be harvested after the morning dew has dried on sunny days. Roots are best carefully lifted with a small spade in the early fall, then scrubbed, rinsed, chopped and dried for future use.
Uses:
For
warts, sores and pimples use the juice squeezed from the stem applied 3-4 times daily.
Used as a bitter tonic to aid in digestion and the simulation of fats, taken before meals as a tincture.
Anemia, Cellulite, Eczema, Psoriasis: The infusion of the leaves or root decoction is used and the use of the leaves in the daily diet should be encouraged. Use the decoction externally for skin problems.
Arthritis, Diabetes, Dropsy, Kidney problems, Gallstones, Heartburn, Hypoglycemia, Jaundice, Rheumatism, Indigestion, Pre-menstrual fluid retention: A decoction of the root should be given or the fluid extract.
Breast problems: Use an infusion of the leaves and apply poultices or fomentations directly.
Eye troubles, Night Blindness: An infusion of the flowers, along with Vitamin A and B2.
Sluggish liver, Gallbladder, Pancreas, Spleen, Hepatitis: Fluid extract or tincture.
