Dandelions: A Flower By Any Other Name

Have you ever wished upon a dandelion?  Those little puffballs that grow in your front yard, and if you blow away all the seeds you get a wish? By blowing away the seeds, you’ve actually granted the dandelion's wish of seed dispersal and helped one of the earth’s most abundant flowering species. 

Dandelions, also known as blowballs,  are tap-rooted, perennial, herbaceous plants native to temperate areas of the Northern Hemisphere. These plants, which many humans often call weeds, are actually an important part of the ecosystem and are incredibly useful to many creatures, including humans. Our ancestors grew dandelions for food and medicine since the beginning of farming.

In The Good, The Bad, The News

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Because Dandelions are one of the first flowers in early spring, their nectar is important for a wide hosts of pollinators, including bees and butterflies. 

Raw dandelion greens are a healthy food for humans, and contain phytochemicals. Phytochemicals are chemicals produced by plants, generally to help them resist infection. The term is used to  used to describe plant compounds that are under research. While many supplement companies make outlandish claims about phytochemicals, like they can cure cancer, phytochemicals may or may not actually be useful to humans when consumed.  Either way, dandelions don't cure cancer. But they may be good in your salad and are great for the environment. So let's all go blow on some blowballs. 

Listen now to learn more about dandelions 

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