Dandelions aren't weeds, they're wildflowers!

I dont know why people are hating on the dandelions. They are so pretty. Im looking out my window at my lawn, but it looks more like a feild of dandelions. Now, most people would think, "man, they need to do something about their lawn, its infested with weeds!" But it honestly looks so much better than just a sea of nothing but perfectly manicured green grass. Lawns like that are so boring. Dandelions are so cool...you can even eat them! Their leaves and root are one of the best things to eat for your liver. No joke! And you can even make tea from the yellow flower part, and I'll tell you what, it tastes damn good too! To me dandilions are more than just a wildflower. You see them everywhere. Even in a crack in the concrete. I know the average person would think this is going to sound stupid, but they could serve us a reminder that no matter what, nature will always prevail (eventually). And also, most people plant flowers themselves. Thats not letting nature do its own work. Thats kinda like how people dont do their own thing and they let others take control of their lives for them. Now, wildflowers, on the other hand, are much better. They do things on their own. They let their spirits free! They live on thier own, they dont need people to take care of them all the time and tell them how they should live their own life. Just think about when they turn into those big puff balls. When the wind blows, the travel far away and still have a new life. You dont need to always count on the people you grown up with, you can always travel far and meet new freinds and start a new life. Just like that Alice and Wonderland song, "you can learn alot of things from the flowers...." because its true. Next time you see a 'weed' take time to notice the true beauty of its wild spirit and appreciate its beauty and purposes instead of thinking of how much of a 'pest' it is. You dont want a whole lawn of nothing but grass... just think of it as people, it gets boring if everyone is the same. Right? And wait till it becomes a big puff... make a wish, blow it and watch it come true!

 

dandelions = food..

http://fooddownunder.com/cgi-bin/search.cgi?q=dandelion

 

yeah. I love making salads with thier leaves...so good. Thanks for the link!

 

wild violets are edible as well,. in fact almost every plant most people consider "weeds" are edible.
this time of year "weeds" make up a significant part of our salads as well....

 

wild flowers don't have to be cultivated by humans to exist. they're independent...even rebellious. there is a type of human that only wants domesticated, dependent organisms to exist in the world. unfortunately, they seem to be in the majority in most places.

 

I have this book on MO wild edibles, and everything I tried tasted so good. Thats one of the reasons i love spring. Red clovers and one of my favorites. I love weeds! Ill have to try the wild violets.. are those the cute little purple flowers that are kinda whiter in the middle with 4-5 petals? cause we have tons of those

 

wild violets.i would hate for someone to misidentify something an get sick..

 

awsome! im gonna go out and have lunch. lol. we seriosly have tons. but dont worry, im not gonna eat them all, ill save them for the bees and butterflies!

 

I agree, they're so pretty.

 

I totally agree, dandelions are beautiful and edible. I think if dandelions were a rare flower people would appreciate them more. The fact that there are a lot makes them less special, A thing in which i don't understand

 

I agree. I don't understand why people spray their laws with "weed killers." Dandelions and (for me) any other wildflowers are beautiful. They make an interesting, varied yard. I don't understand the obsession with close cut, grass only lawns.

Dandelions make good salads and you can make wine out of them too.

 

Oh, I agree, man--I love dandelions! Why anyone would consider them a weed, I have no idea--they're such happy little flowers--I see them as Nature's smiley faces! I have a bunch of them in my yard, and they just look so cool--they make me feel good when I look at them! I haven't tried to make anything with them yet, but I have heard lots of things can be done with them!

 

Dandelions are great, I used to eat them a lot as a kid, heh.

On the wild violet ID (well any plant ID really) you should get a colorless line drawing for identification. ID based on a color photo is dangerous. Though in this case it's probably a non-issue.

 

I can't dig up the recipe, but my partner made dandelion flower fritters/burgers and they're DELICIOUS! Google up the recipe.

PS - dandelion leaves are best when small and young...many people don't like the bitterness that comes when they get big.

 

I am a huge fan of dandelions too. For a little while longer, we live where someone comes by to spray our yard twice a year & I have NO say over the matter. (sigh) However the moment we own our own land, I intend to let the wild dandelions, buttercups, clover & other pretty flowers grow.

I asked my mom what a weed was one day when I was VERY young as I picked handfuls of wild clover to decorate our dining room table. She told me simply "A weed is a plant that grows where someone doesn't want it." I have kept that definition with me ever since, and have transplanted all sorts of wild milkweed, black-eyed susans, thistles & other "weeds" into my garden beds so my husband can't accidentally mow them over.
love,
mom

 

I hear that all the time. I have always thought that its kinda funny. Think: if you were wanting some sun to warm you up, but a big tree is blocking the sun, and if you think "I wish the tree wasnt there so the sun wouldn't be blocked", would that big tree be considered a weed? Or if you're neighbor's maple tree sends all those helicopter samaras out everywhere, and it annoyed you, would that be a weed too? Technically, everything could be a weed, its just based on your perspective. If my mom liked the rosed growing in the garden, but if (hypothically) I thought they were ugly and the thorns hurt me, the rose bush would be a good thing to my mom but a "weed" to me. So wether or not a plant is a weed is all an opinion! Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!!

 

I love wildflowers

 

They're a pretty plant, but once they land in my yard...

I lived in eastern Oregon years ago where they have huge tennis ball sized blooms.

About sunset, I'd fire up the blowtorch and walk around my property.

Poof! Poof! Poof!

Neat little light show too.

Neighbors though I was crazy.


x

 

dande's are a weed only if you want them to be, the definaition of a weed is a plant that is growing where it isnt indended to be growing.

 

All I can say is, make sure you get the taproot out of the ground or you'll need a recipe.