A dandelion seed head gets ready to pop. Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and maligned plants here in Canada because they grow in people’s lawns (say it ain’t so), dandelions have been used worldwide throughout history as a valuable food and herb.
Here’s what Wikipedia says: “The flower petals, along with other ingredients, usually including citrus, are used to make dandelion wine. The ground, roasted roots can be used as a caffeine-free dandelion coffee. Dandelion was also traditionally used to make the traditional British soft drink dandelion and burdock, and is one of the ingredients of root beer. Also, dandelions were once delicacies eaten by the Victorian gentry, mostly in salads and sandwiches. Dandelion leaves contain abundant vitamins and minerals, especially vitamins A, C and K, and are good sources of calcium, potassium, iron and manganese.”
We should be cultivating these little gems!
© Sheila Creighton 2014
Imagery of Light 
everyone and everything has its purpose and place that is for sure
so true!
Lovely, Sheila. Who can resist a dandelion clock? I posted a couple shots of these beauties just the other day.
thank you, Mike!
You’re right, Sheila! I have made dandelion wine, roasted the roots in my oven then ground them and added them into my coffee. An Italian friend told me her old herbalist grandmother made everyone in the family eat dandelion greens as a spring “physic”….apparently that really cleans the plumbing!
that’s great, Cynthia! they’re a little powerhouse plant.
Lawns are an attempt to impose the human will on Nature, and I side with Nature every time. I’ve no idea what we have growing in our (rough!) lawns but I welcome each and every one of those beings! And maybe they’re not growing there but, rather, living there – I like to think that. And I like your picture too. Adrian
right on! the ‘food not lawns’ movement is becoming less misunderstood here…baby steps but in the right direction.
Methinks you’re preaching to the converted Sheila! I grow them deliberately also 🙂
that would be nice… you are one of the more enlightened as are the other people commenting here… not the norm in general.
I love dandelions. Don’t understand why many don’t like them. Love those yellow dots. 🙂 I can’t help blowing in the screen right now.
Me ** lips puckered and blowing **
thanks – I know… it’s the whole perfect lawn thing that makes people blind to nature’s nuances.
I think I’ll be looking more closely at the plants… not just the heads!! 😉
🙂 if I didn’t have a dog who pees everywhere, I would harvest the leaves. 🙂
Dandelion and burdock is one of my all time favourites, that and cream soda.
I’m not a big fan of fizz so I open a big bottle and let it go flat and since nobody else likes it flat, it’s all mine. 🙂
it would be neat to try that drink – never seen it here. That sounds like a good trick! another one I know of to instantly take out carbonation is to put a half a teaspoon of sugar into your full glass. It sinks to the bottom and takes the fizz out. Just don’t drink the last half inch or so since it is much sweeter. 🙂
Sounds like a plan, especially since I have no problem at all in dealing with a sweeter taste.
http://www.oldestsweetshop.co.uk/buy-sweets/dandelion-and-burdock
Worth a try to taste maybe?
yes – wonder if I can find them here… thanks!
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