Natural Healers- Dandelion

  Bet you didn't see that coming. But why not? After all dandelions were a common plant in the Victorian kitchen garden- all parts of it are useful, and it is rich in minerals and vitamins. The Arab countries were using dandelions in the eleventh century, and by the sixteenth century it was well established as an official drug.

Aside from its medicinal properties, all parts of the plant can be eaten. The young dandelion leaves can be used in salads, the root to make a caffeine free coffee. It attracts butterflies and bullfinches, and early dandelions provide an essential first sugary drink for bees coming out of hibernation.

 You might also be surprised to know that there is more than one variety- the dandelion, the Russian dandelion and the Chinese dandelion, the latter two being taller than just plain old dandelion. The Russian variety was extremely cultivated during the Second World War as a good source of latex.
 If you wish to grow it, it is recommended that it is grown as an annual (it is a perennial) to reduce its bitterness, and in pot, not trays, due to its long tap root.
The flowers, once open, can be used to make wine (I remember picking them for my Dad, just for this) and the root, besides making a coffee of sorts, can also be added to salads, or roasted like a parsnip. The leaves are often blanched, like

endive.
 The dandelion is renowned for its diuretic properties and as a blood cleanser and is regarded as one of the best herbal remedies for liver and kidney complaints. It is also mildly laxative and can treat dyspepsia. Its leaves are high in vitamins A, B, C and D, its A content being more than that of carrots.  The latex from its leaves and stalks provides an effective treatment for corns, warts and verrucas. It produces a herbal fertiliser as it gives a good supply of copper.

It is also useful eczema type skin problems, boils and abscesses. In fact, the list goes on.
  You can even make a pesto with its leaves, on their own or combined with nettles, instead of basil. Fancy it? Where's your sense of adventure?