The Monthly Herbal

 

 Darling Dandelion

 

 Dandelion or Taraxacum officinalis has long been one of my favorite plants.  It is the very first medicinal plant I met in the spring of my 17^th year.  I then read Bradbury’s fantasy novel “Dandelion Wine” again and again.  To walk out on in spring in the afternoon and see the blossoms begin to open to the sun is a vision that still brings a smile to my face.  As a young girl I’d pick  “dandy puffs” and blow my wishes to the wind.    I remember the “hippies” who came and asked if they could pick blossoms out of our front yard for wine.  I remember digging dandelions with an herbalist for tincture. These early experiences sparked my interest in the wonders available in the herbal kingdom. 

 

I never understood the campaign to rid our lawns of this lovely yellow flower.  Have a perfectly green lawn by pouring poison on the dreaded Dandelion.  A green lawn created poisoning the ground and therefore into our water supply.   This has never made any sense to me. This plant is one of the most valuable in the herb kingdom, every part from root to flower.

 

Folk names are piss in the bed, lion’s tooth, blow ball, and dent-de-lion.  The flowers are valued for their use in wine and cosmetic making, the greens and root are extremely high in vitamin and mineral content as well as being roasted to be used like coffee.  The root is specifically renowned as a diuretic amongst folk doctor’s and herbalists as it does not deplete the body of potassium.  Instead it is loaded with this mineral as well as many others. While cleansing your body of excess fluid it is also replacing the many minerals lost during urination, something prescription diuretics cannot claim.  Quite the contrary, first take this diuretic and then take this potassium pill and on and on.

 

Dandelion is a nutrient rich herb; containing iron, potassium, calcium, and vitamins A and E.  Dandelion’s diuretic effect and high potassium content make it especially beneficial for water retention related to heart disease.  Dandelion has long been used as a cleansing spring tonic to remove congestion from the body from a winter of eating heavy sluggish foods.  Young fresh Dandelion leaves have been added to salads for centuries or steamed with other greens like collard, mustard or kale.

 

 Dandelion root is an effective blood purifier and tonic to the kidneys and liver. By helping these organs break down congestion, Dandelion root may be a helpful remedy for conditions like gallstones and jaundice.  Dried and ground root is an excellent coffee substitute. Dandelion’s stimulant effects are also beneficial to the pancreas and may assist in normalizing insulin secretions. Dandelion root is a tonic to the blood and may help to neutralize toxins and acids in the bloodstream.  By cleansing the blood, the liver and the kidneys, improvement in conditions of the skin like psoriasis and eczema, may be noticed

 

A cream made from the infused oil of dandelion flowers is nourishing and healing for the skin, especially the face.   They are thought to help fade and reduce freckles and the spots related to aging. Dandelion blossoms are harvested first thing in the morning and dried immediately so the open blossoms do not close before they are dried.

 

 Leaves are tender and nourishing in the spring and summer.  Roots are best dug in the fall after a good rain.  Young leaves to be used in salad should be harvested in the spring only as they become too bitter when the plant matures. Or keep seeds sprouting and replenish your stock of young leaves. Steep the leaves in hot, but not boiling water to enjoy as a tea.  To make tea from the roots, boil slowly for 10 minutes.  Allow this to sit until tepid, strain and drink.  Tincture can be made from all parts of the plant to separately or together. A wonderful synergy is created when blossom, leaf and root are prepared as a medicine together.

 

A plant of wishes and wine (see recipe below), it is ruled by Jupiter and has the traits of opening and cleansing those things that no longer serves us, both body and soul. Dandelion blossoms observe the sun, following it throughout the day and closing at sunset.    A flower essence, made from Dandelion flowers is a remedy for the “doers” of the planet.  We enter into life with great exuberance but sometimes tax the body beyond its capabilities.  Dandelion reminds us to listen quietly, giving the soul room to reflect. These calm moments provide space for the body and soul, allowing the two to mesh thereby helping to prevent tension and trauma from occurring.

 

As you can see this is a most useful plant.  When you next meet a Darling Dandelion in your yard I hope you will take a moment to say hello. If you have an abundance of blossoms why not gather some for wine, tea or jelly.  If you’d like a Dandelion Wine recipe please email me at moon.maiden@mindspring.com – Cynthia @ MoonMaid Botanicals

 

Dandelion Wine

1 gallon dandelion petals (remove green collar at base of the flower)
1 gallon hot water
Juice of 1 lemon
3 oranges, peeled and sliced
4 lbs. sugar (this is the amount I used, my understanding from other wine 
makers is that they use 1 lb. per gallon of water, I will leave that up to 
you)
1 cake of yeast

Combine water and blossoms in a crock.  Let stand 24 hours then strain.
Then add the rest of the ingredients.  Let the mixture set for 3 weeks then 
bottle.

Age the bottles for at least 2 months.

I used a large glass jar and capped it with a balloon that inflated and 
deflated as the wine worked.  Mine worked for 5 weeks, so use your own 
judgment on this one.