As a child, my father used to warn
me about dandelions. I would be out the
door in a frenzy to blow the white-fluff flowers around and make as many wishes
as the cosmos would allow. Three flowers
in, my father would walk outside and entreat me not to spread the weed. “It kills the yard,” he would say. Instead of simply stopping me from blowing the white ones, he would
tempt me to pick all the yellow ones, offering me a nickel for every yellow
flower picked.
It was
not a bad way to make money; even my young self was aware of this. Yet, when he wasn’t looking, I would blow a
burst of seeds into the air. Now I was
doubly motivated- more seeds made more flowers, more flowers meant more
nickels.
As an
adult, I still enjoy finding the happy yellow flowers around and will
occasionally make a wish as I scatter the seeds. And, as an adult, I have come to research
these “weeds” only to find that perhaps father doesn’t always know best.
First
let’s address the idea that dandelions are weeds. Yes, it is true that they are fast growers,
absorb nutrients, and are very difficult to kill. In my mind, this makes them super
plants. Their roots can grow through
rock, sidewalk, and reach depths of 17 feet. Wow! But this does not, if spaced right, kill off
other plants. In fact, dandelion roots
loosen the soil, making it easier for water and nutrients to reach surrounding
plants. The concept that the dandelion
is threatening did not immerge until recently (recently meaning the last couple
of centuries). This was due to the
popularity of the ‘lawn.’ Now notice I
didn’t say yard. People have owned land
and used their yards as they have pleased for years. A lawn is different: a lawn must be green
grass and only that; a lawn must be even and manicured; a lawn has no room for
the stubborn dandelion.
Did you
know that dandelion root, despite being common, is rather pricey compared to
other tea ingredients? If you are
looking for organic tea that hasn’t been mixed with any other herbs, you could end
up spending anywhere from $14-$35 for a small box. That only comes with 16 tea bags. If you drink a cup daily, you won’t get
through a month. Why the high
price? Well, bursting with vitamins (A,
B, C, and D) and nutrients (calcium, potassium, and iron- just to name a few),
dandelions have wonderful health benefits.
The roasted root for tea is often used as a substitute for coffee,
especially by those who are trying to avoid caffeine. Beyond energy, dandelion has natural chemicals
that increase the production of urine.
This helps the body cleanse itself.
Many people use dandelion as a way to help with stomach problems such as
indigestion or intestinal gas. These
chemicals also reduce swelling, making dandelion an excellent remedy for
bruises. Scientists are looking into
dandelion to help with liver problems and even diabetes.
In relation to health, some people
have allergies to ingesting dandelions.
Like all allergies, this can range from a mild to severe reaction. To those people, I would recommend NOT eating
dandelions in any form.
Now, to
give my father credit, yes, if you are concerned about your lawn, dandelions
will take nutrients from your fragile grass.
If this is a concern for you, please don’t spray them! Actually, if you let your grass grow above
the dandelions, the lack of sun will kill them for you. Your yard will look wild for a bit, but it is
worth saving the soil and wildlife from toxins found in weed killer. Or, you could go the old fashioned way and
pull them out by their roots. I suggest
paying a small child to do this. They
are closer to the ground and are easily swayed by shiny coins.
No
studies have been done on whether or not dandelion wishes have any power. I’m holding out hope.
Works Cited
"Five Things You Need to Know About Dandelions."
GreenerGreenGrass Organic Lawn Care Blog. N.p., 11 Aug. 2010. Web. 24 Feb.
2015.
Pulisher, Charlie. "11 Health Benefits of Dandelion and
Dandelion Root - Sunwarrior News." Sunwarrior News RSS. N.p., 15 Apr.
2013. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
Sanchez, Anita. "Dandelions." Dandelions. N.p.,
n.d. Web. 24 Feb. 2015.
