Dandelion( Taraxacum )

Updated: Jun 28, 2019

This wild edible has been well know about since recorded history. It has been used in chinese traditional medicine for 1000 years.

One of the great things about dandelions is it grows everywhere.

“Did you know every part of the dandelion plant is edible roots,stem,leaves and flowers and has been used for over a 1000 years as medicine.”

Description

Dandelion is a herbaceous plant with long taproots that don't typically branch, native to the northern hemisphere it can be found in many people's yards. The flower heads grow on top of stems that are typically 5–40 cm (2.0–15.7 in) tall, but sometimes can grow up to 70 cm (28 in) tall and can be purplish at times. The leaves can grow between 5 – 45 cm ( 2.0 – 17.7 in ) long and 1 – 10 cm ( 0.39 – 3.94 in ) wide. The tip of the leaf looks like a arrow pointing outward.

Habitat

The dandelion plant can be found best in areas where there is lot of full direct sunlight and part shade. Dandelions usually grow in temperate regions of the world, found in lawns, on roadsides, on disturbed banks and shores of creeks and rivers, and other areas with moist alkaline rich soils, but it will try to grow where ever they can.

Harvesting

Harvesting dandelions can be fun in the sun with the family, pick the flowers, pick the leaves or dig up the roots they can all be harvested. When harvesting the flowers always remember that other animals depend on them as well like bees so be sure to leave some. When I harvest the leaves i try to harvest a few of each plant to not stress the plant to much, but they are very resilient plants.

When I go out looking for dandelions I particularly look in shade areas for harvesting leaves as they tend to be not as bitter, but look in sunny locations for flowers and roots.