Dandelion
Family Name: Aster/Composite
Family Name: Compositae/Asteraceae
Latin Name: Taraxacum officinale, (formerly Dens leonis)
Common Names: Blowbloom
Related Species:
Body System Affiliations:
1. Urinary System
2. Gastro-intestinal
Botanical Description:
Habit: herb
Size: Root around half an inch to over a foot long, Leaves compressed into a short stack at base of stem.
Leaves: Rise directly from the bottom of the stem with jagged ends, with connection to the stem lower than the opposite end of the leaf that is pointing out from the stem, so that rain may be collected and directed towards the root and therefore hydrate the whole plant.
Flowers: Made up of very small pointed yellow ray flowers that comprise overall flower, which close upon immediate threat of rain and during sunset and times of dew accumulation-these times vary with region and amount of sun exposure.
Fruit: At the point of connection between the infloresceuce and the stem is a green cylinder which holds large amounts of nectar and attracts at least ninety three types of insects. This nectar aids greatly with supplying nectar and pollen to bees at times that fruit is less available for bees, esp. early spring and late autumn. This prolongs the time of availability of honey.
Underground parts: Root and branching rootlets. (branches are more likely to occur in ground that has stones and more obstacles for the root to grow around)
Ecology:
Habitat and Range: Northern Temperate Zone. This includes waste ground and meadows.
Propagation:
Technique: Although dandelions are many times regarded as a weed, they may be grown as a crop to allow the dandelions to grow under variables that are better specified to their needs, and therefore heed a larger crop (specifically the root). Each acre is allowed 4 lbs of seed, sown 1 foot apart, and weeded, hoed and had the flower heads constantly removed. Each acre may yield 4 to 5 tons of fresh roots by the second year.
Timing: Usually collected in their second year, in the month of October, when food reserves in the roots are the fullest and not expended for the creation of leaves and flowers.
Harvest:
Plant Part: Root.
Season of Harvest: All year round but especially rewarding in October. (Grieve, http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html#cul)
Method of Harvest: Digging
Ecological Considerations of Harvest: The harvesting of dandelion roots which were not grown as a crop should take place in meadows and areas of healthy soil. They should not be harvested in wastelands where the soil may be polluted or in areas of plentiful rocks, gravel or stones because the rough terrain would cause the roots to branch out and be a lot less dense and a lot more difficult to harvest.
Cultural Considerations of Harvest: My culture must consider that they have left much of this planet in an unhealthy state and may not harvest dandelions for human ingestion in many areas, especially next to roads or buildings.
Cautions: Do not dig into the root, because this would puncture it and cause the medicinal qualities inside the root to leak out. Do not harvest in areas which may be polluted, ie-wastelands, or near roads.
Plant Part: Leaves
Season of Harvest: Before leaves are full grown (they are most bitter when full grown).
Cautions: Thoroughly clean the leaves after harvest.
Western (European-American) Uses/Relationships:
Food: Roots- The smaller dandelion roots may be dried, trimmed, cut and >ground to make coffee.
Materials/Technology: shovel, hands (to harvest)
Part Used: Root
Medicinal Actions: Diuretic, Laxative and Tonic.
Indications: Ailments of the urinary system and digestive system (ie-irritated constipation), as well as the overall system.
Constituents: "The chief constituents of Dandelion root are Taraxacin, acrystalline, bitter substance, of which the yield varies in roots collected at different seasons, and Taraxacerin, an acrid resin, with Inulin (a sort of sugar which replaces starch in many of the Dandelion family, Compositae), gluten, gum and potash." (Grieve, http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html#cul)
Harvest: There has been debate in Western medicine over whether the root of the dandelion is better harvested in the spring, when the soluble component Teraxacin is at its quantifiable peak in the root and is at its most convenient harvesting period, or in the fall season when the root is most bitter-this quality attributed to the highest annual presence of Inulin.
Storage: Dandelion roots are dried following harvest, and should be kept in a dry closed area following this process to protect against mold or maggots. The dried roots should not be kept longer than one season.
Preparation: To prepare roots for drying, leaves must be stripped from the root, roots washed, and longer roots should be cut into three inch long pieces with any smaller branches removed.
Applications: Dandelion roots may be ground into a coffee, made into a decoction by boiling in 20 parts water, strained when cool and taken to cure irritated constipation -or in a decoction of two ounces of root in one quart of water boiled to a pint.
Pharmacy: The coffee decoction works in the relief of constipation taken in one cupful 2 to 4 times a day. The latter decoction may be taken once every few hours in a wine glass full.
Cautions: Dandelion root is not injurious to the human body in large dosages.
Food: Leaves: The leaves are most palatable in raw form when they are not fully grown (as they become very bitter in this state), and may be eaten in sandwiches, salads, cooked as spinach or in vegetable soup, or made into dandelion beer.
Part Used: The young tops of the dandelion
Indications: Liver and kidney ailments.
Body System Associations: GI Tract and the Urinary System.
Harvest: The young tops should be collected on a warm dry day.
Storage: Leaves should be eaten immediately if freshness is desired.
Preparation: Wash the leaves thoroughly and even cut into smaller pieces if desired.
Applications: The young tops of the dandelion are used to make a tincture that may be taken with a spoonful of water, three times a day for the relief of/assistance with liver and kidney problems.
Personal Experience:
Food: I made a coffee decoction.
Materials/Technology: Weed knife, hands.
Part Used: Roots
Medicinal Actions: Tonic
Body System Associations: Digestive system and Urinary System as well as overall tonic.
Harvest:
Site Location: My front yard in Southeast Olympia
Site Description: Unkempt, Pesticide-free, exposed to light with slight amounts of shade from some taller plants, exposed to some neighborhood cats and dogs as well as squirrels and possibly raccoons and mice. Many of the leaves are full grown though many are also small and vary with areas of growth. The roots also vary in size depending on their individual exposure to sun-one was 1 foot long and another two inches. Other known plants are grasses and Queen Anne’s Lace, other browning wild plants. I chose this plant because it is present in the yard of my new home, as well as areas around it, and I decided that understanding this plant that I had always noticed and is so commonly occurring would help me to better understand this region, and would also be a convenient resource in creating herbal medicines.
Technique: Digging with a long and blunt "weed knife", then sliding out the dandelion until the entire root is pulled from the soil and shaking the dirt from the plant
Processing: Removing smaller branches from the roots, cutting the longer roots into 2 inch long pieces, leaving them to dry for two days, roasting them in the oven, placing a few tablespoons of the roasted root into a cup and pouring boiling water on top.
Storage: An airtight container.
Experience: The coffee was slightly tasteless, but took the place of a mild tea.
Cautions Based on Experience: Take care then digging around root to avoid severing any part of the root. When preparing the coffee, do not leave it out for too long-the decoction will mold. Also, roast the roots at a low temperature so that they may be roasted through if not dried enough, and the use of a coffee grinder is preferred.
References cited:
Grieve, Mrs. M. Botanical.com: A Modern Herbal. 1995-2005. Online at http://www.botanical.com/botanical/mgmh/d/dandel08.html. Visited 10-27-05.
Author Unknown. Herbs and Aromas Website. Online at http://world.std.com/~krahe/index.html. Last Updated 12-29-2001. Visited >11-1-05.
