“The dandelion in full flower, a little sun bristling with sun-rays on the green earth, is a non-pareil, a nonsuch. Foolish, foolish, foolish to compare it to anything else on earth. It is itself incomparable and unique.” – D. H. Lawrence, “Reflections on the Death of a Porcupine and Other Essays”, 1925. (Quoted in “Landmarks” by Robert MacFarlane, 2015.)
As well as the Lesser Celandine, another characteristic spring plant is the Dandelion, Taraxacum sp.
Dandelions, such as this group photographed on a road verge in Cantley in east Norfolk, are looking lovely at the moment.
To many people the Dandelion is just a troublesome weed, seeding into otherwise pristine lawns. But dandelion flowers brighten up the garden and countryside and provide an early source of nectar for insects such as the Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies that have recently emerged from hibernation. Later on, the seeds provide food for birds.
There are between 240 and 250 closely related microspecies of Taraxacum in the United Kingdom – all Dandelions, but differing from each other in leaf shape, size, flower and fruit colour and habitat preference. Many of the differences are difficult for a non-expert (and that includes me) to distinguish. There is even a 341 page Botanical Society of the British Isles (BSBI) Handbook, “Dandelions of Great Britain and Ireland” (A.A. Dudman & A.J. Richards, 1997).
There are many English names for the Dandelion, including: Pissy beds, Tiddle-beds, Wet-the-bed, Jack-piss-the-bed, Dog’s posy, Swine’s snout, Old man’s clock and Peasant’s clock. (These are listed in Richard Mabey, Flora Britannica, Sinclair-Stevenson 1996). The name Dandelion comes from the French dent de lion (lion’s tooth) and refers to the teeth on the leaves. For many of the other English names there is a common theme – Dandelion leaves are a strong diuretic when eaten. “Old man’s clock” and “Peasant’s clock” refer to the seedheads. (Richard Mabey also lists Fairies, Parachutes and Sugar eaters for these.) Swine’s snout refers to the buds and closed up flowerheads.
Dandelion leaves are edible. Older leaves are too bitter but young leaves can be added to a mixed salad. (They can be made less bitter if the plant is covered with a flower pot in late winter to blanch the leaves, rather like chicory.) They are very nutritious. The Plants for a Future website lists the Dandelion’s uses as an edible and medicinal plant, as do the University of Maryland Medical Center and A Modern Herbal, including Dandelion Wine and a Dandelion “Coffee” made from the roots. Pissenlit au lard (fried bacon scraps and croutons on a salad of dandelion leaves) is a classic French dish.
Dandelions reproduce asexually through seeds (apomixis). This leads to the microspecies mentioned above – distinct lineages of plants with much smaller differences than is normal between species of most genera.
If you are able to tolerate Dandelions in your garden – and I hope you are – then it’s a good idea to remove spent flowerheads before they seed. Unless you have a lot of time and patience you may not be 100% successful but you will keep the numbers to a manageable level. If you do decide to remove some plants, remember to dig out the deep taproot as well as the top of the plant. Your reward for letting Dandelions into your life will be a world richer in butterflies and bees and the joy of seeing this beautiful, edible, drought tolerant flower.
