Dandelions: And why they aren't weeds.

 When I was little, I remember picking a dandelion and showing it to my parents. "That's a weed, not a flower," I remember them saying to me. But I didn't understand why people didn't like dandelions. What was so bad about them?

As I got older, I learned why people don't like dandelions:

  1. They grow everywhere.
  2. They're weeds.
But that still didn't make sense to me. Why is it bad that they grow everywhere? And what even is a weed anyways? Well, I did some research.

What is a weed?

A weed is defined as "any wild plant that grows in an unwanted place, especially in a garden or field where it prevents cultivated plants growing freely."
The thing about this definition is that it isn't "scientific" like you'd expect it to be. A weed is just a plant that we have decided we don't want, A.K.A. plants that grow by themselves.

Many weeds, along with being pretty, can be very useful. One of my favorite useful weeds is the dandelion. If your yard has any dandelions in it, you may want to read this article to find out what you can do with them.
 

Uses for dandelions:

Cooking.

Yes. Dandelions are edible. The taste of a dandelion flower is sweet, and works well in baked goods and teas. The greens have a bitter taste. With a dandelion, you can make:
  • Dandelion root coffee.
  • Dandelion root tea.
  • Dandelion greens on pizza.
  • Salad.
  • Dandelion greens pesto.
  • Dandelion flower wine.
  • Dandelion syrup.
  • Fried dandelion flowers.
Make sure to use the young flower of the dandelion.


Medicine.

There are a few medicinal properties in dandelions. Dandelions contain antioxidants that get rid of the free radicals in your body, which damage your cells. Dandelions can also calm down inflammation. Another property of dandelions is that they are a mild laxative. They are high in potassium, which can help to make you pee. This can help to regulate high blood pressure. Dandelions also lower cholesterol. Dandelions also include vitamins A, C, and K.


Art.

You can make paint with most flowers, and dandelions are no exception.
All you need to make dandelion watercolors is:
  • Boiling water.
  • Dandelions flowers.
  • Something to stir with.
Tear the petals of the dandelion flower off and put them in a bowl. Pour boiling water onto the petals and stir. Once the water has cooled down and is no longer boiling, dip a paintbrush in and start painting.



Thanks for reading, and have fun foraging. ♥

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