“Honey, may all your dandelion wishes come true …”

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The above is an actual wish someone expressed, using the common dandelion (Taraxcum officinale) as a vehicle for their seemingly silly wish. What lies behind that wish is the perception that dandelion is an invasive weed. The vigorous sprouting of wishes in our heart has been likened to the abundant growth and carefree propagation of weeds. Unsurprisingly, the dandelion (in the above-mentioned person’s mind) fits the bill perfectly, so they effortlessly linked together dandelions and the proliferation of human wishes.
The dandelion, named after its dentate leaves that resemble the teeth of a lion, was so called by the French: “dent de lion”. It didn’t take long for the name to morph to “dandelion”.

This picture was taken on the Graiger campus of King Khalid University in Abha, Saudi Arabia, where I work for a living teaching English. The photo may leave the impression that dandelions are bee-pollinated. That is not true. The dandelion bears perfect flowers. It is bisexual or hermaphroditic, producing its seeds asexually, resulting in genetically identical parents and offspring. The wind acts as a seed distributor, taking seeds off its puffball and scattering them as far as five miles away.
            As my interest in dandelions bred curiosity, I came to realize that it should have been widely known as a lawn herb, but had the misfortune quite recently of being unfairly accorded the status of a weed. This may be because it shows up in our lawns as an unwanted guest disturbing the uniformity of our well-manicured urban “meadows”. Herbicide companies shrewdly cash in on the misperception by fertilizing that groundless assumption.  
The dandelion is said to have evolved 30 million years ago in Eurasia, and to have been brought to America on the Mayflower on purpose as an herb. It has proven medicinal value and is edible in its entirety. Dandelion tea is a good liver detox. Its root is an effective diuretic. The ancient Egyptians, Romans, and Chinese all knew how to use the plant. Arab scientists like Al-Razi described it as “the tarashaquq like chicory” and Ibn Sina dedicated a chapter to it.
Having been born into the sunflower family, the dandelion is in love with the sun, opening at sunrise and closing at sunset. It is a rich source of nectar in early spring for a host of pollinators. Thanks to its long flowering season, it is relatively easy to spot one to introduce to a friend when walking back to the car.

According to http://mydandelionisaflower.org/, “Three celestial bodies, namely, the sun, moon, and stars are said to be represented in it. The yellow flower resembles the sun, the puffball resembles the moon, and the dispersing seeds resemble the stars”. The heavens contained in a flower. How inappropriate to think of it as a weed! 

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