Dandelion

Dandelion (Taraxacum)

Locations
Found all over the Hampshire campus. Easily found in areas where the forest meets fields.

How to Identify
Leaves: Dandelions form a basal rosette with deeply serrated, hairless, lance-shaped leaves, about 3-12 inches in length.

Stems: Erect and hollow, about 2-6 inches in length

Flowers: Solitary, composite, bright yellow in color, 1 1/4 - 2 inches in diameter and found at the end of leafless stems

Fruit: A 3- 5 mm brown achene is attached to white, feathery pouch for dispersal. Seed heads collectively appear as "puff balls."

Root: Deep tap root, 1/2 inch in diameter

Found in almost every kind of habitat

Uses
Dandelion is regarded by many as a weed and a pest, but herbalists esteem dandelion as a plant with numerous edible and medicinal properties. Dandelions are rich in such vitamins as vitamin A, K, B complex, C and D, and contains such minerals as zinc, potassium, and iron. Dandelion leaves can be eaten in salads and sandwiches, as well as brewed in teas. The flowers can be used to brew dandelion wine, and the roots (which, along with the leaves, have been used to treat liver ailments) can be used to stimulate the appetite and treat gallbladder issues. The roots may also be used as a mild laxative. Dandelion leaves are a diuretic; they work to remove excess fluid from the system. See also, how to make a dandelion tincture to be taken medicinally.