LION'S TOOTH

Taraxacum Officinale - Dandelion, is a flowering herbaceous perennial plant. The common name is derived from the French - dent-de-lion, which means lion’s tooth.

My earliest memories of dandelions consist of either my Dad angrily pulling them out of his perfectly green lawn, or making a wish and blowing them when they had turned into little fluff balls. I have come to learn how truly beneficial these wildfleurs are to us and the environment.

Many find the Dandelion to be invasive. They overwhelm meadows, golf courses and pop up through cracks in the pavement. However, this sunshine bloom has an important place among honey-producing plants. Our bees adore them. As beekeepers, we know they are a really important source of food for our bees. They produce good amounts of pollen and nectar in early spring through to late autumn. So where possible, please avoid chopping them down!

All parts of the plants can be eaten, the yellow blossom, the younger leaves and the root, each with different herbal properties. Dandelions garnered the unrightful title of a ‘weed’ and sadly became a neglected and an overlooked plant.

However, Dandelions are a versatile natural first aid kit. They can be used to treat skin conditions, reduce water weight, lymphatic inflammation, diabetes, reduce blood pressure, anaemia, prevents urinary tract infections, improves gastrointestinal tract function and the liver. They are chock full of vitamins as well as minerals, such as iron, potassium, and zinc. 

Before we mowed down the lawn, we harvested the dandelions we had. (Don't worry, our bees have an abundance of other wildflowers to forage!) We then made a lovely Dandelion tea, infused with some orange rind and a little honey. Perfect start to our morning.

Dandelion tea can also be made from the leaves or roasted root of the dandelion flower. The remaining dandies, we rinsed for a quick vinaigrette. We also dried a few for burning in rituals.

Please note that ingesting dandelion can interfere with some medications, so seek the appropriate medical advice, especially if you are taking diuretics. It is not recommended for those with kidney problems.

For thousands of years, dandelions have been used in a variety of herbal preparations, folk medicine and remedies in many cultures. I'm sure I'll be using this magical plant a lot more in future concoctions! Enjoy wild crafting your own remedies. If you have any suggestions, let me know!