Taraxacum officinale - Dandelions

Dandelions are valued for their nutritious leaves, roots, and flowers. The leaves are eaten raw or cooked but have a bitter flavour, especially as they age. Young leaves are more tender and less bitter, making them more suitable for salads. Blanching the leaves (covering the plant to exclude light) can reduce the bitterness, though it also decreases their vitamin and mineral content.

The native range of Dandelion is Macaronesia, Europe to Siberia, and NW. Africa. Harvesting: Leaves are harvested from early spring to late autumn, roots are typically harvested in late autumn, and flowers are harvested from early spring to early summer. Bloom Color: Yellow. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early spring, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid spring. Form: Spreading or horizontal.

Edible Uses

Leaves can be eaten raw or cooked and when used in salads, they are rather bitter, though less so in the winter. Tender young leaves are considerably less bitter than older leaves. The leaves are often blanched (by excluding light from the growing plant) before use. This will make them less bitter, but they will also contain less vitamins and minerals. 

A very nutritious food, 100g of the raw leaves contain about 2.7g. protein, 9.2g. carbohydrate, 187mg Calcium, 66mg phosphorus, 3.1mg iron, 76mg sodium, 397mg potassium, 36mg magnesium, 14000iu vitamin A, 0.19mg vitamin B1, 0.26mg vitamin B2, 35mg vitamin C. 

the roots can be eaten raw or cooked  and have a bitter turnip-like flavour. The flowers can also be eaten raw or cooked with a rather bitter flavour too. The unopened flower buds can be used in fritters and they can also be preserved in vinegar and used like capers. Both the leaves and the roots are used to flavour herbal beers and soft drinks such as 'Dandelion and Burdock'. 

They are also used to make wine - all green parts should be removed when making wine to prevent a bitter flavour. 

Teas

The leaves and the roots can also be used to make tea.  Note the tea made from the leaves can act as a laxative.  The roots of 2 year old plants are harvested in the autumn, dried and roasted to make a very good coffee substitute which is caffeine-free. A pleasant tea is also made from the flowers. 

Medicinal Uses

The dandelion is a commonly used herbal remedy. It is especially effective and valuable as a diuretic because it contains high levels of potassium salts and therefore can replace the potassium that is lost from the body when diuretics are used.

All parts of the plant, but especially the root, are slightly aperient, cholagogue, depurative, strongly diuretic, hepatic, laxative, stomachic and tonic. The root is also experimentally cholagogue, hypoglycaemic and a weak antibiotic against yeast infections. The dried root has a weaker action.

The roots can be used fresh or dried and should be harvested in the autumn when 2 years old. The leaves are harvested in the spring when the plant is in flower and can be dried for later use.

The plant is used internally in the treatment of gall bladder and urinary disorders, gallstones, jaundice, cirrhosis, dyspepsia with constipation, oedema associated with high blood pressure and heart weakness, chronic joint and skin complaints, gout, eczema and acne. The plant has an antibacterial action, inhibiting the growth of Staphylococcus aureus, Pneumococci, Meningococci, Bacillus dysenteriae, B. typhi, C. diphtheriae, Proteus etc. The latex contained in the plant sap can be used to remove corns, warts and verrucae. The latex has a specific action on inflammations of the gall bladder and is also believed to remove stones in the liver.

For more information you can visit the PFAF (plants for a future) website here.

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