Loathed by gardeners, the dandelion is one of my all time favourite plants. You've got to admire the fact that
it can apparently grow absolutely anywhere, and keeps coming back for more no matter what you do to it! A plant so common
that it is normally overlooked, if there is one plant that defines the use of herbal medicine in the UK, this is it.
Its name however, has its roots (no pun intended) on the other side of the channel.
The name dandelion is a corruption of the French dent de lion as the flowers give the impression of a lion's
mane, and the leaves have a certain tooth like quality about them. A common name for the dandelion in France is pissenlit,
and gives an indication to one of the properties of the dandelion.
The leaves of the dandelion act as a mild diuretic, and so have traditionally been used for conditions associated with
water retention. Whilst modern diuretics can have the side effect of excreting excess potassium, the leaves of the dandelion
are high in potassium and so balance out this potential problem.
The root has a slightly different action - being mildly bitter, it helps stimulate the production and flow of bile from
the liver. As the liver is a major organ of detoxification, dandelion root is often used to help a patient's elimination
processes and stimulate their digestion. It is for this reason that dandelion is so widely used in western herbal medicine,
as most people's liver tends to need a bit of a boost.
Obviously, not all plants are suitable for everyone, and if you feel that you may benefit from the healing properties
of the dandelion, you should first consult a qualified medical herbalist.
However, dandelions have traditionally been used in the UK as a supplement to the diet - you can still buy the root as
an alternative to coffee, and the leaves (when young) can be added to salads. A few words of caution though: It is illegal
to dig up wild plants in the UK (even the common ones) - if you want to try wild dandelions, stick to the leaves. Make
sure that you gather them from an area that is free from pollution, chemicals, and any passing cats & dogs! And
finally, don't overdo them on your salad - you don't really want to find out what pissenlit means...
By the by, for those of you more interested in the esoteric side of the plant, it is said that if the plant flowers between
April and July a hot, wet summer can be expected. That seems to fit with what's happened this year, but is it me or
don't they do that EVERY year...?
