#70 - 10 Facts About Dandelions

Dandelion Watercolor by CKpigments on Etsy, $25

It's spring time and these pesky little flowering weeds will soon be invading gorgeous lawns everywhere!

Besides the fact that they ruin lawns each year, here's 10 cool facts about them:

1. Dandelions originated in Asia where they are used as both food and medicine. 

Heirloom Dandelion Seeds from seedsshop on Etsy, $1.79

2. The plant was brought to the US by the Spanish (New Mexico) and the German (Pennsylvania) for use in nutrition.

3.The word "dandelion" comes from the French name for the plant "dents de lion" which means "teeth of the lion" in reference to the jagged leaves of the plant.


4. On a breezy day, a strong wind can transport the tiny seeds of the plant miles away from the parent dandelion plant.

Dandelion Seed Necklace by ScrappinCop on Etsy, $15

5. Dandelion flowers are photosensitive; they bloom under the morning sun and close in the evening or in dull, gloomy conditions.

6. Dandelion is grown as a crop in Belgium.

7. In Chinese medicine, the dandelion plant has been used for over thousand years in treating various conditions like diabetes, cancers, as well as bacterial and fungal infections.

Dandelion and Nettle Herbal Tea by good4you on Etsy, $14

8. Dandelion is popular for its diuretic properties and it increases urine output.


 9. The entire dandelion plant is edible. (obviously it you're going to eat one, don't eat one that's likely been sprayed with pesticide or peed on by dogs, etc...just a thought)

10.  The dandelion is also an ingredient in root beer.

Root Beer Print by FlyGraphics on Etsy, $15