andelion
Names: Lions Tooth, Fairy Clock
Parts used: Root or leaf or flowers or petals or stems. The whole plant is a medicine chest of its own!
Collection: Roots are best collected between June and August when most bitter. Split an cut up before drying. Leaves can be picked anytime of the year for salad. Roots collected in the autumn are more starchy + sugar = insulin
ID/Botany: Perennial herb with taproot – roots harvested in plants 2 years +. Leaves emerge in a rosette – jagged leaves, dark green. Bright yellow flowers – important nectar and pollen plant for bees. Seeds can be eaten by birds and rabbits.
Harvest: Leaves in spring. Flowers in summer. Roots when 2years + in spring bitter, in autumn starchy + sugar (insulin)
Dandelion Root is when harvest has a big impact on final properties of the medicine
Family: AsterXXXXXX daisy family (same as daisy, marigold, yarrow, chamomile)
Cautions: People with sensitivity to daisy family. ALSO contra-indicated in gastric inflamation + bile ducts + gall bladder.
Constituents: Potassium salts in leaves – so a diuretic which replaces potassium! (A safe but powerful option)
Roots have: inulin (pre biotic for healthy gut bacteria)
bitters – stimulate digestion
Volatile oils
Sodium
Potassium
Calcium – for bones, teeth…
Iron – for blood
Phosphorous
Taste: Bitter and salty – leaves
Sweet, bitter and kind of salty – roots
Edibility/
Nutrition Leaves = tonic of spring greens much needed after long winter and rich in vitamins and minerals
Roots = inulin for healthy gut bacteria
Leaves + roots = highly nutritious as rich in vitamins and minerals
Medicinal action of Dandelion
Leaves: Alterative – curative herb which cleanses and purifies system gently altering tissue state
Anti-lithic (see below)
Bitter tonic – detoxifies & stimulates flow of digestive fluid + liver function.
Diuretic – increases the flow of urine – lowers blood pressure
Flowers: Digestive stimulant
Roots: Alterative (see above)
Anti-lithic – so stones don’t form in kidneys an dhelps body in their removal
Choleretic – increases volume of secretion of bile from liver
Cholagogue – stimulates flow of bile from liver
Digestive – improves appetite. Hepatic tonic. Supports function of liver. Mild laxative.
Uses: Improves liver and kidney function
Root: Bitter and sweet. Bitterness stimulates reflex in the body which causes digestive enzymes, bile and pancreatic enzymes to be secreted = digestive stimulant to aid digestion & improve appetite.
Bitterness aids liver in its self cleaning role and encourages capacity for renewal and repair
Enhances liver function & liver restorative – can be safely used for liver and Gallbladder disorders & diseases e.g hepatitis, gallstones, gallbladder inflamation, XXXX stagnation, high cholesterol, excess urea, gout, constipation,varicose veins and acne
Can be used for problems associated with liver sluggishness & stagnation, e.g tiredness, irritability, headaches,skin problems, pmt, poor digestion, anger, dominance of oestrogen due to poor hormone clearance through the liver. If stagnation of liver isn’t resolved it develops into ‘liver heat’ (red tongue, headache behind eyes, dry mouth, bitter taste, tinnitus, bursts of anger, hot itchy skin conditions, red eyes.) Dandelion can be used to descend heat into the bones & tissues to help.
Root sweetness restores liver tissue and pancreatic function, enriches liver and blood generating physical stamina & immune strength
Root saltiness mineral content regulates body fluids and good for chronic and degenerative conditions of connective tissue.
Anti cancer – supports & prevents by gently altering tissue states. Helps liver & kidney, lymphatic systems process waste more efficiently and helps immune system to fight the cancer cells.
Tea of Root (September 21)
Smells of a root – earthy with a sweet hint, calming & comforting. Reminds one of similar feel
to elacampagne.
Taste is demulcent, moist – aftertaste is dry
I would call on this ally to calm the belly and stomach as after drinking tea it moved to my belly and stayed there soothing.
Tea of dandelion and burdock root
Warming, demulcent/smooth – coating organs – kidney & liver. A nourishing, balancing root tea. Tasted mushroomy/miso like.Insides of belly through to liver & kidneys feel soothed.
Ally -bitter tonic to feed and cleanse tissues and inflammatory conditions as soothes internal organs – like an internal moisturiser.
Dandelion and Burdock Root Flapjack
Delicious and a good way to get nourishment through feed. Will bake again
Dandelion Root Tea – January 22
Been drinking this tea once a week to be an ally for my liver through hormonal changes due to menopause – feels soothing, supportive, feeding, strengthening.
Dandelion Leaf Salad with added extra herbs
Small handful of dandelion leaves – preferably in spring/early summer
Handful of cut and come again lettuce leaves
Handful of wild garlic
Handful of basil leaves, oregano
Tomatoes and cucumber
Seeds toasted on top – sunflower and pumpkin
Dressing of lemon juice, sea salt, olive oil
Dandelion Leaf Pesto – Delicious on toast/past/sandwiches/pizza
2 big handfuls on dandelion leaves
½ cup of olive oil
2 or 3 garlic cloves
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
¾ cup of pumpkin seeds – roasted or toasted
All put in a blender and whizzed together
Signature energy of plant (5.11.21)
Digging up dandelion roots at the allotment, the leaves are bright and green after the rain and the frosts – they look delicious – full of vitamin c and green-ness – nutritious. They don’t taste as sweet as spring leaves but still are a lovely bitter – and feel they stimulate my digestive system as a little later I feel hungry. They look vital, happy, alive.
The roots are browny/white. They come from a xxxx of root/knot of root xxxx then twist out from there, exploring the earth. They smell beautifully earthy and are easy to take out of the beds which we have dug a great deal this year – I shake off the excess earth and take them home to wash and cut up and dry. As autumn roots they are starchy and have inulin – good for gut!
There are still flowers dotted here and there – their lions manes raised and open to the autumnal sunshine low in the sky. I’ve found a recipe for dandelion flower honey which I will make next May when the flowers are abundant.
December 21
Still dandelion heads bobbing about on the Sussex Downs – on sunny days fully open saying look at me I’m here! I’m guessing its important they are still around to provide liver support via a tea/decoction of the roots to see folks through the winter months and into early spring as a cleansing, nourishing, de-toxing herbs to transition us through to springtime. Will keep a look out for them.
Their bright yellow flowers like little lions heads make my heart soar with happiness – amazing that at this time of year we can still eat the leaves in winter salads for extra vitamins and minerals – as well as the flowers leading us to their roots (see above)
January 22
Love that the dandelion stalks are good for curing warts – I read that if you slit the stalk – the milky sap inside can be rubbed on neat. Will remember this and try for myself or my pals if anyone mentions they have one.
Elizabeth Brooke’s thoughts on Dandelion – A woman’s Book of Herbs 1992 Women’s Press
Myths and legends: TaraXXXXX from Greek Taraxo meaning disorder. Akos XXX also remedy
Common name Dandelion comes from French dent de lion – lions teeth. Refers to the shape of leaves. Also called piss en lit by the french – piss in bed – on account of diuretic qualities.
Hecate was said to have xxxxxxxx Theseus with dandelion – seen as the plant of Hecate. Said best to collect root in November which is Hecate’s month
Action on lungs: can be used with other lung remedies in cases of chronic cough, asthma, bronchitis to strengthen lung tissues.
Emotional uses: As a root plant – grounding , centreing action
Roots focus on solar plexus – grounds emotions which are scattered & excitable
Strengthens emotional body – gives a stronger sense of self & helps resist strong influence of others
Root as bitter works on feelings of bitterness & hostility, anger & resentment which are said to get trapped in the liver
Brooke talks about dandelion releasing & liberating ‘angry’ feelings as a means of liberation.
