Gardening with Peter Bowden: June Garden

I sometimes find it amusing how our attitudes toward things change over time. I know we all look back at those pictures of us from the 70s, 60s and earlier and are amazed at the hairstyles and clothes we wore then.  At the time my generation thought we were the height of fashion with our big hair and bellbottoms.  If you happen upon an old episode of Columbo on the tube, you’ll be amazed at how long men’s sideburns were.  And then there were the bold, psychedelic patterns of the disco era.  Now we simply look back at all this and wonder, “What were we thinking?”

You might not realize it but the same thing happens with plants.Some plants are popular for a while and then they are replaced with another.  You can go on the internet and find the “Perennial of the Year” and “Annual of the Year” for this and past years.  Sometimes it is the color that makes the plant popular and sometimes it is because the plant is a newly bred type.  Sometimes, just as in the fashion world, plants that were popular in the past enjoy a revival as new gardeners rediscover plants that their grandparents loved. 

There’s one plant though, that has suffered a fall from grace so complete that few of us are even aware that it was once one of the most well thought of plants on the planet.  The plant I’m referring to is the ubiquitous dandelion.

It might surprise you to know that, at one time, there was NOT ONE dandelion growing on the entire continent of North America.  Even knowing that, you’d probably assume that it was just an unfortunate accident that they’re here…they must have gotten here along with another plant. 

Actually, the dandelion; that scourge of our lawns that we detest so much was brought here by European colonists intentionally. In fact, more than one group of colonists brought it with them to their new homes in America.  Germans are known to have brought it with them and Spanish colonists introduced dandelions into Mexico including what is now the American southwest.  The reason they made a point of bringing dandelion seed to the New World is because they depended on it to keep them healthy.  The dandelion, which is actually a plant native to Asia, has a long history as a beneficial and medicinal plant.  In China it is mentioned in herbal texts as early as the 7th century.  We can assume that it was used medicinally in China even earlier.  In Wales, it is mentioned in the writing of physicians during the 1200s.  A French physician gave us the name dandelion when he called them ‘dent de lion’ or ’teeth of the lion’; describing the ragged shape of the leaf.  Other common names for the dandelion have been: Blowball, Cankerwort, Swine Snout, Wild Endive, Sin in the Grass and another French name, pis-en-lit which translates as “wets the bed”. This last name describes the dandelions ability as a diuretic.  The Latin name for the dandelion is Taraxacum officnale which can be translated as ‘disorder remedy’. 

Dandelion leaves are a wonderful source of vitamin A as well as potassium, calcium phosphorus and iron.  Common knowledge of our ancestors was that the various parts of the dandelion can be used to treat urinary tract infections, abscesses, eczema, gout, boils, stomach aches and even snakebite.  It has also been used to treat high blood pressure and as a liver purifier.  The white sap in the flower’s stem has even been suggested as a cure for warts.  The list goes on and on.  I’m certainly not suggesting that you use dandelions medicinally but it makes for interesting reading.  One would think that, since there are references to the benefit of dandelions about as far back in history as history goes, there might be something to all this.  One thing is for sure; our ancestors were not going to go to the New World without the seeds of their favorite cure.  It is no wonder that they are everywhere.  We may have completely lost sight of the virtues of the lowly dandelion but they are still with us none the less. 

I’ll have to admit that tender young dandelion greens sometimes make it into the salads at my house.  They are a little bitter but, when mixed with all the other greens, they’re pretty good.  For some, it is an acquired taste.  We once served some dinner guests salad with dandelion greens in it without their knowledge.  They enjoyed the salad but called the next day to ask us, “What was in that salad anyway?”  I won’t go into detail.  Suffice it to say, THEY noticed the effect dandelions can have on the digestive system!         

Thanks for the read!