Dandelion is a thorn in the side of many garden owners. The plant is by no means just a weed. When used properly, it can relieve discomfort.
Whether dandelion, dandelion or buttercup, the Taraxacum sect. Ruderalia is widespread in this country. Dandelions can be found not only along the way, but also in many meadows and in countless gardens. What is a disturbing weed for some is an important medicinal plant for others. Some hobby gardeners really hate this plant because it grows almost everywhere and spreads so quickly. A perfect lawn is then out of the question. Many children, on the other hand, love dandelions and numerous gourmets even treat themselves to this pleasure on a regular basis. Precisely because opinions differ on this plant, it is worth getting to know the dandelion better as we go along.
Plant description: What distinguishes the dandelion?
Because there is a distinction between the genus dandelion and the dandelion, the plant is correctly called dandelion. The plant from the daisy family is a herbaceous plant that reaches a height of between ten and a maximum of 30 centimeters. The white milky sap of the buttercup can be found in all parts of the plant.
Roots and Leaves
The taproots of the dandelion are dark brown to black in color and up to one meter long. In exceptional cases, the fleshy roots of this plant can even grow two meters long.
The plant is also characterized by a short, compressed shoot axis. The leaves are arranged close together along the lower part of this axis and form a kind of rosette. In addition, the leaves are between 10 and 30 centimeters long and have irregularly strong lobes as well as incisions and serrations. The serrations and incisions decrease more and more in the direction of the blade tip.
Blossoms
The flowers rise up to 60 centimeters in height, with the peduncle of the dandelion being in the form of a hollow tube, which is lined with a faint felt on the outside. A plant often has several of these tubes.
Manysmall, yellow ray florets make up the open flowers of the dandelion. The diameter of these flowers is about three to five centimeters. The flowering period of the dandelion lasts for several days. During this period, the inflorescence closes not only in the rain and at night, but also in dry environmental conditions. Eventually, when the yellow flowers fade, this will also result in the inflorescence closing up. It takes several days for the leaves to open again around the faded flowers.
In Central Europe, the main flowering period of the plant is in April and May. Dandelions can still be seen until autumn, albeit in significantly smaller numbers. These plants adapt strongly to the prevailing environmental conditions at their location. For example, the height and orientation of the leaves and peduncles are greatly affected by these external factors.
Fruits
When the faded flowers open one last time, the dandelion fruit is ripe. First of all, however, the perianths of the ray florets fall off. They release the fruit, which is characterized by a slender barrel shape and hairy parachutes. The wind now ensures that these fruits are scattered in all directions. This process can be accelerated by blowing on the dandelion, which also explains the name.
Dandelions, dandelions or buttercups?
One plant and sooo many names! Botanically, the dandelion is called 'Taraxacum', but the most common name is dandelion. It is due to its jagged green leaves, with its large and small teeth resembling a lion's fangs.
The name "buttercup" is due to the golden yellow color of the flowers. The term dandelion is self-explanatory for faded dandelion, because when the wind doesn't blow, children love to blow the seed off the plant in the form of small parachutes :-)
The dandelion is also known by the following terms:
- Dandelions
- Common or Common Cowflower
- Bed Seicher
- Pfaffenröhrlein
- Sun Vortex
- Monk's Head
Dandelion Spread
This plant was originally found in Europe and western Asia. Thanks to human intervention, the plant is now widespread in many countries in the northern hemisphere. that dandelionalso thrives in the southern hemisphere, however, is only rarely the case and can then definitely be traced back to being carried over there. In Central Europe it is one of the most common types of weed found in gardens, along roadsides and in meadows.
Wall crevices, heaps of rubbish and various fallow areas are perfect fodder for this plant, which thrives best at an average temperature of five to 26 degrees Celsius. Soil pH should be between 4.2 and 8.3, while an average rainfall of 0.3 to 2.7 meters per year is ideal for the plant. The dandelion can also be found in the mountains. At altitudes of up to 2,800 meters, however, the plant itself reaches lower growth heights.
Possible Uses for Dandelions
When it comes to the development of entire bee colonies in spring, this plant plays an important role. Even dandelion honey is now available, which is characterized by a thick consistency, a golden yellow color and a strong aroma. Tip: make dandelion honey yourself
Many children love blowing on the dandelion fruit in all directions. The inflorescence stalk also makes an excellent miniature horn if the end is spliced. Whether as food and beverages or in medicine, there are many uses for dandelions, which is confirmed by a look at this list:
- Jellies and syrups as a spread made from the yellow flowers
- Young dandelion leaves with a slightly bitter taste as a salad ingredient
- Cook the root or make a salad
- Substitute coffee based on the roasted or dried roots of this plant
- As animal feed
- Historical use as a substitute for rubber
When it comes to the medicinal uses of the plant, dandelion is considered both a diuretic and a laxative. The plant is also said to have a blood-forming, blood-cleansing and menstrual-promoting effect. This has led to dandelion being used for the following ailments and conditions:
- Fever
- Headache
- menopausal symptoms
- Gout
- Cough and bronchitis
- Loss of appetite
- Spring Fatigue
- Constipation
- pimple
- Dropsy
- Rheumatism
- Biliary or liver weakness
- Haemorrhoids
- Chronic Joint Diseases
- Gout
- Eczema, corns and warts and other skin conditions
- stomach weakness
- Allergies
- Arteriosclerosis
- Kidney or gallstones
Tips for eating dandelion
Although the plant is non-toxic, consuming large amounts is not recommended. This is especially true for older plants. Their milky sap contains higher concentrations of bitter substances, triterpenes and resins. If these ingredients are now consumed in large quantities, this can result in gastrointestinal problems. Dandelions in particular, which can be found along the way, should be thoroughly cleaned before consumption, as they can be contaminated with dog urine, for example. The special ingredients of the dandelion, which are important when eating, are listed in this list:
- choline
- Potassium
- Inulin
- Magnesium
- Phosphorus
- Vitamins A, B2 and C
- Bitter substances
When collecting the plant, there is little risk of confusion with other plants. The sap dandelion and the common piglet herb look similar. However, the stem of these plants is not hollow, making it easy to distinguish them during harvest. In view of the fact that the individual parts of the plant become more and more bitter over time, it makes sense to harvest the youngest possible dandelion, which can be recognized by its delicate green leaves.
How does dandelion taste?
Not only rabbits taste the leaves of the plant. Dandelion leaves are also he althy for humans. The edible leaves are characterized by a tart, spicy taste. The older the leaves are, the more bitter they taste. The leaves of the dandelion are certainly not for everyone on their own. Whether as a juice, sauces, in soups or with risotto, the further processing of the leaves is definitely recommended and preferable to pure consumption. Although most dandelion recipes rely on the leaves, these parts of the plant are also edible:
- Roots (see dandelion root edible?)
- Stem
- Flower buds and petals
Basically, almost all parts of the dandelion plant have a spicy to slightly bitter taste reminiscent of chicory. A syrup or jelly that can be made from the sweet, yellow flowers is considered particularly tasty. Because this sweet spread promises honey-like flavors.
The best way for hobby gardeners to get rid of dandelions
The fact that dandelions multiply rapidly is onegreat strength of this plant, which, however, makes life difficult for many hobby gardeners. In order to prevent the dandelion from spreading in your own garden, it is important to prevent the white fruits or seeds from spreading. As long as the plant shines in its yellow flower, it serves the ecosystem in the garden as it serves as a food source for various insects and bees.
If you're still waiting for the flowers to bloom, you're doing the environment a favor. On the other hand, when the yellow flowers close, it's time to get rid of the dandelions. Because now it won't be long until the seed forms. Therefore, the plant must be removed before it opens again and can then distribute its fruits freely thanks to the force of the wind. It is by no means sufficient to simply tear off the plant above the ground. Rather, the taproot must be completely removed so that the buttercup is guaranteed not to catch up.
Conventional weeder powerless
If you want to be reliable against the buttercup, you have to make sure that you have removed all remains of the plant from the soil. Otherwise the chances are very good that it is only a matter of time before the common dandelion will sprout again and multiply like wild. Special weeders against dandelions are available in specialist shops. These spiral implements are preferable to a regular weeder for any weed. In this way, the entire plant with the entire root can be pulled out of the ground without you having to bend down. This tool is also suitable for removing various types of dock.
Which weed killers help against dandelions?
A s alt water brine and vinegar are effective against dandelion. Nevertheless, hobby gardeners should not fall back on these simple and cheap tools. Because they not only damage the soil and neighboring plants, but also the groundwater. If you want to use chemicals to combat dandelions, it is best not to declare war on the young plants. Ultimately, the larger the surface area of the plant, the better the weed killer can work.
All hobby gardeners should know that chemical weed killers always clog the soil and should therefore be avoided if possible. In addition, resistance can develop over the years. If this is already the case in the home garden due to the use of weed killers by the previous tenant or owner, the dandelion may not even respond to the weed killer. Incidentally, the weed remedies are against dandeliongenerally about lawn weed killers, so-called herbicides, which also attack other types of weeds. Depending on the choice of remedy, the following active ingredients are used:
- Clomazone
- Metazachlor
- Dimethachlor
- Napropamide
- Dimethenamid
- Cyanamide