Some dandelions don't need to wait for the wind, though. As dandelions turn to seed, children everywhere rush to pick them, so that they can close their eyes, make a wish, and blow the seeds into the air. No one knows for sure how or why people started making wishes on dandelions.
Where did we get the idea of making a wish on dandelions? The story goes, if you blew all of the seeds of a dandelion at once, the person you loved would love you back. Each time you wish upon a dandelion you are sending anywhere from 54-172 seeds into the air.
With their golden flowers in the early spring, dandelions represent the return of life, the rebirth of growth and green after a harsh winter, and a display of abundant strength and power.
The entire plant, including the leaves, stems, flowers, and roots, is edible and nutritious, with nutrients such as vitamins A and K as well as calcium and iron.
Most gardener's consider them weeds, but dandelions provide pollen for insects when other flowers are not in bloom and both their leaves and flowers have culinary uses. URBANA, Ill. — To a child, a dandelion is a magical thing. It's one of the first plants we learn to recognize.
In addition to granting wishes, many people believe that dandelion seeds will carry your thoughts and dreams to loved ones when you blow them into the air. It's been said that if you can blow all the seeds off a dandelion with a single breath, then the person you love will love you back.
If you are like most people, you've wondered what the difference is between white and yellow dandelions. Why do two different weeds have the same name? The truth is, white and yellow dandelions are the same type of weed, just at different stages of development. Both are distraction when you want a green lawn in Utah.
The dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) is an abundant “weed” plant that also happens to be edible. In fact, nearly the entire plant can be consumed in one way or another. The only inedible part is the stem, which contains a very bitter, milky substance.
Dandelion leaves act as a diuretic, increasing the amount of urine your body makes. The leaves are used to stimulate the appetite and help digestion. Dandelion flower has antioxidant properties. Dandelion may also help improve the immune system.
Some may also think of dandelions as those white puffballs whose seeds you can blow away like a candle on a birthday cake. The puffball is also considered a dandelion — it's what the yellow flower matures into after a few days.
Each seed is attached to a characteristic fuzzy structure called a 'pappus' that allows the seed to be carried by the wind. Dandelion leaves, flower, and seed head with pappus.
Petunia. Petunias are colorful flowers that have been associated with hope, healing, and well-being for a long time.
typically, a dandelion blowing in the wind represents the a wish for a good fate. They can also stand as a memorial for a loved one that has passed away.
Or have you seen round, white poofs of fluff that you can blow into the air to make a wish? Those two flowers are the same flower. They're called “dandelions,” which comes from the French words for “lion's tooth.” They're bright and friendly-looking, but grown-ups can't stand them.
The white flower you make a wish on is a species of Dandelion which proliferates in much of North America. It's scientific name is Taraxacum officinale.
There are two species of dandelions native to Australia; Taraxacum cygnorum and Taraxacum aristum. Both are threatened species. If you are able to support native dandelions in your garden, you should take every possible opportunity whether it's in pots, lawns, or borders.
Do not use dandelion if you are taking a blood thinner, such as warfarin. You should also avoid dandelion if you have gallbladder problems, have diabetes or are taking medicine to control blood sugar levels, or are taking a diuretic.
Interestingly, a Korean study found that dandelion may have similar effects on the body as weight loss drug Orlistat. Some data shows that this anti-obesity drug can help reduce the amount of belly fat, the most dangerous fat linked to Type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some forms of cancer, etc.
Dandelion leaves to be eaten raw are best when they are fresh and young. As they age, the leaves get increasingly bitter. But they are still edible, particularly if you blanch them before using them in your recipe.
Self-Pollination
The dandelion plant does not require pollination in order to reproduce; rather it self-pollinates and reproduces asexually through seeds by a method in botany called apomixis. It is the dandelion's process of reproducing which creates its characteristic fluffy white sphere.
Dandelions have been called lion's-tooth, cankerwort, Irish daisy, monk's-head, priest's-crown, puffball, blowball, and milk-, witch-, or yellow-gowan (3).
Dandelions are edible and nontoxic for dogs; however, some parts of the plant are more nutritious than others. Here are three of the most nutrient-dense parts of dandelions: Blooms: Dogs can consume the yellow flowers or seed puffs of dandelions. Dandelion blooms contain high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols.
Dandelions are both male and female at the same time. For most hermaphroditic flowers, the genders develop at slightly different times to avoid inbreeding. Inbreeding allows negative traits that are normally recessive to become physical traits, which isn't good.