Dandelion History

To most gardeners, dandelions are a nuisance that invades our beautiful lawns and gardens.  However, that wasn’t always the case.  In fact, dandelions were intentionally introduced to North America by European settlers.  Why?!?!?!

Until very recently these yellow, ubiquitous meadow flowers were highly valued for their nutritional and medicinal properties.  Dandelions have been a part of traditional Chinese medicine for centuries, but they were also used by the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, and Persians.  Medicinally, dandelions were thought to act as a tonic that removed toxins from the blood.  It was also used as a gentle diuretic to improve the function of the digestive system.

There are some interesting aspects to the official name and common names of common dandelion, Taraxacum officinale. “Officinale”, the species name, is a Latin term that is attached to those herbs that contain long-accepted medicinal properties. The Persians originally called the herb “tarashquq” around 900 A.D.  Later, that name became Latinized to fit with taxonomical naming conventions, thus “Taraxacum”.  (Is it just me or does “Taraxacum!” sound a bit like a Harry Potter spell?)

The origin of the common name comes from the appearance of the leaves of the plant. The French thought that they resemble the canine teeth of a lion. “Dents de lion” is French for “teeth of the lion”.  You take this and do a bad job translating it to English over a couple centuries and you get “dandelion”. … The French also called this plant ‘pis-en-lit’ because dandelions were used as diuretics. A diuretic is something that removes fluid from your body. Let’s just say that eating dandelions before bed could cause you to “pis-en-lit” or wizz the bed.

So far, we’ve talked about the historical uses for dandelions as a medicinal herb, but is there any truth to those claims?  The results of recent studies might surprise you.  A 2009 study of the diuretic effect in human subjects of an extract of Taraxacum officinale folium (leaves) showed and significant increase in urine output for a 5-hour period after each dose for all participants.  Also, a 2017 study suggested that polysaccharides (complex sugars) in roasted dandelion root may indeed be beneficial to liver function.

The next time you see a little yellow bloom in your yard don’t look at it with the same disdain you might’ve in the past.  It is a hearty little plant with a rich history, and, if you’re inclined, it might make a nice salad, herbal tea, or coffee substitute. … However, I think I am legally obligated to say that Bob’s Market is not a source for medical advice.