Talk:Dandelion

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from the article: "found in most gardens during the summer months" -- I find it hard to believe that dandelions are found in gardens in all parts of the world. I know of them in Europe; beyond that I have no idea. Could someone clarify? --Tarquin

Dandelions are present in America, Australia, New Zealand, India, China and Canada and are seen in Japanese recipes - is there anywhere they aren't? Maybe desert climates? They are very widespread because they are used as medicine and cuisine. Many people don't see them as weeds. --rmhermen

Thanks. I just thought we should check. They're weeds in my garden... ;-) -- Tarquin

point taken about weeds. NPOVed to say considered as weeds. Tarquin

RM, I live in a desert climate (Clovis, NM) and they thrive here. Marc W. Abel

They are widespread in the Western Cape of South Africa which has a warm-temperate Mediterranean-type climate. I would doubt dandelions would grow in the Tropics though: I did not see any in Cuba for example. Booshank 17:33, 22 May 2006 (UTC)

Basically, it's a temperate zone plant. A friend of mine in Southern California tried and failed to grow dandelions; apparently they need winter. I've noted that in the article. Does anyone know where they originated? Vicki Rosenzweig

Several websites call them of "Eurasian" origin not that that helps much. They were apparently first noted by Arab writers in the 10th century but it didn't mention where. Arabs were widespread by then too. They are listed as growing in Australia and Mexico so I would have thought they would grow in southern California too. The University of California (http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7469.html) says the dandelions grow year round in the entire state except in the mountains. This page aslo says that dandelions go back to Roman times as a medicine and food. --rmhermen

Is there a set policy on the gardening section of the 'pedia? We have recipes, so should we have gardening tips? I can say that dandelions are hard to get rid of; they have very long roots. I find the only way to keep dandelions under control is:

  • catch them early when they only have a few leaves
  • rip off any flowers that form to prevent seeding
  • tackle the big ones with trowel or spade. There's a weeding tool like a long v-shaped trowel that's very good for them too. -- Tarquin

It seems if any root fragments are missed; new plants will grow from them: turning one to five. Can anyone cofirm this.? (G Nelson)

If you do not eradicate them, you are in for a root awakening! -phma

Is a description of the plant needed? Not being any sort of biologist, I've come up with this so far:

The plant grows as a cluster of narrow, fairly dark green leaves, up to (?)25cm. Flowers grow on firm stems of up to (?) 40cm

But "firm" is the wrong word. "self-supporting"? hmm. Tarquin

Well, also the leaves grow outward from a center over the taproot; and the stem extends from the center too. The leaves are oval with wavy edges ... not dissimilar to the inner leaves on romaine lettuce, but laid flat on the ground. Also, breaking the stem releases a milky substance. Just what I remember from high school, when I had a yard.  :-) --KQ 19:26 Aug 19, 2002 (PDT)

Is the table overlapping the text for any body else? This is happening with all right or left aligned tables in IE 5 on Win 2k. --mav

I believe this problem is specific to Internet Exploder. It looks lovely in Mozilla. --Brion

Contents

Cooking Dandelions

Dandelions make a great free meal. Not only are they high in nutrition and very good for you - they also taste great! Here's what to do to make your own dandelion delicacy: Find some flowers in your yard or field that are not right by the road and all the polluting traffic. Young plants are a little less bitter but older ones will do fine. With a knife, cut the whole plant at the top of the root so that is comes out of the ground intact. You should snap off the yellow flowers that have already opened up, but be sure to leave any unopened buds - these are the tastiest part! Once you have given your pickings a good washing to get off all the dirt, stick them in a pot with enough water to just cover and boil until they are nice and soft. When the water turns yellow replace it with fresh water and reboil. This will get the bitterness out. When they are all done they will have the consistency of cooked spinach. Strain and dress with butter, a squeeze of lemon, or vinegar. Mmmm. Nothing tastes better than a free meal! Another option for the dish is to mix the dandelion with little pieces of fried bacon. This enhances the taste of the dandelion.

This is hardly encyclopedic but could be reworded and made into a real recipe under cooking dandelions. --mav

It's now under How to cook dandelions. - Montréalais

Sorry, I've gone for an image prune on this article... I don't think it needs a ==More images== section. "Wikipedia is not a mirror or a repository of links, images, or media files". - MykReeve T·C 20:23, 7 May 2005 (UTC)

I restored the image of the halictid pollinator, as it is needed to illustrate an important part of the life cycle. Studying plants without reference to their pollinators is not very good botany. There needs to be more pollination info on this and most plant pages. Also needed is a photo illustrating actual seed dispersion in process - a tough photo to take, but it would be a good illustration. Pollinator 21:20, May 7, 2005 (UTC)
In the article it says "with numerous apomictic microspecies". Actually i thought they were all asexual. If they are asexual why would they need pollinators? Is there a source that indiactes that some species of dandelion are sexual? Otherwise we should axe the photo of the halictid pollinator since it is very misleading. David D. 23:41, 14 July 2005 (UTC)

They are not exclusively apomictic, at least most zones of southern Europe. The presence of mixed sexual-apomictic populations seems to be linked to higher temperatures, but the subject is still being studied. It seems that sexual and apomictic population still have a genetic contact at some degree, this is why all dandelion flowers are so coloured, produce nectar and attract pollinators. I think this can be interesting, do you think I should write it in the main article? I lost the link that proved this completely, but see this. (Excuse me for my poor english) Aelwyn 23 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Say, I wonder

Do you think this picture could have a place in the article?

Floaters
Floaters

I want to add it, but I don't want to just remove someone else's picture in a well-established article. On the other hand, the article is rather full and I don't want to just add it and make more bloat. What do you think?

I think it's a valuable illustration of a part of its life cycle. I would wish the photo were clearer, but I realize that this is an exceedingly difficult shot as well. I'd go for it. Pollinator 02:11, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

Well, you have to understand, there was probably less than 1/3 an inch of depth of field in this shot. I was using an 8x zoom camera with a close-up lens on the end. I tried my best though! I'm not too sure where to add it though. One of the pictutes needs to be replaced, because otherwise it will be too cluttered. It's already pushing it.PiccoloNamek 02:17, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

Believe me, I DO understand...Pollinator 03:10, September 6, 2005 (UTC)

I like the pic and would add it. Marc W. Abel


There seems to be alot of folk medicine and remidies passed off as simple fact and actual medicine in the article. A good going over of these sections is necessary I think.--Deglr6328 06:54, 11 September 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Etymology

I was going to post a entry on the meaning of its offical name Taraxacum officinale, does it really mean official remedy for disorders? I can't confirm it.

[edit] Origin

I've always heard that Dandelions were native to Europe/Asia and were spread to the Americas by settlers. This was backed up by a quick search.[1] The article says otherwise so I will go through and change it.--Bkwillwm 19:29, 3 March 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Picture/development

I'd quite like the article to have a short series of photos, maybe at the bottom, showing the development of the plant/flower, as it took me many years of studying the plant in the garden to realise the petals didn't turn into the floaters! I'm willing to go out and take the photos if needed, if they aren't available, but I thought I'd ask here first as people seem to be aiming to keep the photos to a minimum. Skittle 22:31, 16 May 2006 (UTC)

I think that if the information they provide is useful, there won't be a problem. The issue isn't so much with too many pictures, it's with too many unnecessary pictures. Presumably the two pictures currently at the top (the 'clock' and the open flower) would either fit in your sequence or be replaced by your pictures anyway. A series that showed bud to seed metamorphosis would also be useful in the flower article as well. Matt Deres 16:55, 27 May 2006 (UTC)
Excellent. I shall have to get a decent camera and do the job. Good pictures at the top. Skittle 10:09, 8 June 2006 (UTC)


Okay. It's easy to find nice images of the full flower Image:Löwenzahn-JJ5.jpg Image:Taraxacum plant.jpg and of the full clock Image:Dandelion clock.jpg Image:Taraxacum_officinalis DSC02041.JPG Image:Taraxacum_officinale0.jpg. There's a nice one showing the dried flower still attached to the emerging clock Image:Dandelion head.jpg and an interesting one that shows two stages of clock development at once Image:Taraxacum 2005 spring 005.jpg. There are even a couple showing nearly empty clocks, which show the bobbly top the seeds attach to (I prefer the second one) Image:Gewöhnlicher Löwenzahn Taraxacum officinale agg. detail.jpg Image:Paardebloem zaadpluis.jpg.

What I still need are pictures of the flower bud and opening flower, possibly of the dying flower too. I shall see what I can do. Just off to learn about sizing of images! Skittle 10:33, 8 June 2006 (UTC)

[edit] what is a dandiloin used for

My teacher gave me a project to do on dandiloins and i don't know what a dandiloin is used for. Can you please explain it to me.

[edit] simpler

It would be nice to have some simple parts in this article, and have it more divided up to make it more accessible. If it is too dense, it will not be useful--Filll 15:19, 18 October 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Caffeic Acid

I checked, and that appears to be correct. I would favor leaving it in. I do not know why we should remove it. It is interesting.--Filll 22:23, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Reading through the Caffeic Acid page, it seems to suggest that Caffeic Acid has shown Carcinogenic and anti-carcinogenic properties, depending on who's research you look at. AlexNifty 12:05, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

We could remove it if it is too confusing. On the other hand, it is interesting and does point out that "natural" products are not necessarily all safe. If we wanted a to strike a more balanced note, we could also mention its anti-carcinogenic properties. I point out that it is very possible that caffeic acid DOES have both carcinogenic and anti-carcinogenic properties.--Filll 13:30, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] No Edit War

I do not want to get into an edit war with Nhelferty, but he or she seems to not want any mention of the results of multiple studies suggesting that caffeinic acid is a carcinogen. Just slashing stuff mindlessly is not helpful. He now seems to have moved up the section heading for his discussion of "antioxidants" to make it far more prominent, rather than a subsection under uses. I think there needs to be some other input here.--Filll 22:32, 25 October 2006 (UTC)

Hi, I am an innocent standard reader of this page, and this section is definitely inconsistent with the Caffeic Acid page. The Caffeic Acid page is quite clear, the outcome of the carcinogen behaviour depends on the concentration. Please, clarify this. Chatmann (talk) 18:10, 20 April 2008 (UTC)

[edit] Dandelion Wine

There ought to be a mention of this use of the dandelion. —ExplorerCDT 03:39, 13 November 2006 (UTC)

Yes its a very common use of dandelions and a good diuretic properties. Think outside the box 12:34, 13 February 2007 (UTC)
I just checked and its already been added... Think outside the box 12:36, 13 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Height

The article appears to claim that dandelions do not grow higher than about a foot, but there is a plant in my garden greenhouse which is a good seven feet tall. Is this sufficient as a source to modify the article? Robin S 13:36, 4 April 2007 (UTC) -I think they adapt for survival. I have observed that if you continue to pick the tall flowers before they go to seed the plant gets shorter and shorter till it barely clears my lawn. This practise also seems to weaken them consideralby.(Greg Nelson: May 27, 2007)

Edit: Just discovered that the giant dandelion has recently been uprooted (I last remember seeing it a few months ago, and it's been there for years). I promise however that this is not a hoax! Robin S 13:44, 4 April 2007 (UTC)

I've seen plants that look very similar to dandelions and grow as big as you've described. I don't think they are dandelions though, but may be related. Think outside the box 10:11, 3 May 2007 (UTC)
Or maybe it was a Sunflower? Think outside the box 18:38, 18 May 2008 (UTC)
Quite possible a sow-thistle (Sonchus spp.). --Graminophile (talk) 22:43, 18 May 2008 (UTC)

[edit] How to kill weeds

Anyone interested in writing about ways to kill weeds? Bleach, salt?VK35 20:11, 15 April 2007 (UTC)

It should be. I will add it if i have timeDog jumper100 04:29, 22 June 2007 (UTC)

Tampering with mother nature will get you nowhere. It is the biggest waste of your time that you could ever imagine. Why not do something more productive in the real world than to pick on Dandelions? Dandelion was introduced to our countries as a highly nutritious food from the visiting people. It is an important food for diabetics. The flower is an important food for bees, and when the seeds start happening its important for small birds. Care MUST be taken when removing this plant, that it is done without the use of anything but your bare hands. I am sorry it doesnt look nicer than you would expect, or that you feel that everything in your garden has to conform to a specific look. But using anything toxic on the plant is nothing short of irresponsible, and we have enough of that in the world at the moment thank you. user:philbeer —Preceding comment was added at 23:48, 27 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Cupid's shaving brush

Cupid's shaving brush may be worth merging or redirecting here. - Nabla 00:02, 18 April 2007 (UTC)

It's not a dandelion, but rather Emilia sonchifolia. I've moved the article to its scientific name.--Curtis Clark 02:49, 14 May 2007 (UTC)
Thanks. - Nabla 23:03, 22 May 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Life span

Does anyone know the life span of a dandelion? I have observed that picking the flowers seems to weaken them. Is this true? Are they perennials? Answers appreciated? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 75.153.0.243 (talk) I am Greg Nelson.May 27, 2007.

They are perennial. Aelwyn 10:55, 23 May 2007 (UTC)

I also would be interested in knowing about the lifespan. Perennial doesn't necessarily mean they never die, I hope anyway. I have also observed that picking them seems to weaken them, ie. they don't grow as tall and seem to wilt somewhat. Leewrangell 03:41, 28 May 2007 (UTC)

They do die of course, they're not immortal! Usually herbaceous perennial plants can survive for several years. Picking them surely weakens them. Their source of food are the leaves!

[edit] Dandelion word French origin ?

Dandelion ( Dent de Lion in French (tooth of Lion) ). Do you think, the origin of the name is from old french language, I've heard that that it could be the shape of the edge of leaves could remind some teeth of lion. Can somebody search this ?

many thanks.

[edit] Is any part of the plant toxic ?

e.g. can you just pick a dandelion and eat the flower? (even though it might taste bad)

Yes. My Mom told me about this crazy woman who lived in their nieghborhood who used to eat danelions. I don't think they are good for you though.
I eat kilos of dandelions every spring, they taste very good (cooked as spinach). Someone use the flowers to make a syrup. I don't like it very much its bitter-sweet, but it's definitely safe to eat. Only be sure to be able to recognise the plant (extremely easy). Aelwyn 08:56, 24 August 2007 (UTC)
The flower and the leaves are both very nutritious. You can also make a kind of coffee from the root. Cooking and roasting however destroy nutrients. The taste may be intense and might take a while to understand but only if you chew it properly and arent consuming any excito-toxins. The flower is an important food for the bees, so i just stick to eating the nutritious leaves and make sure there is plenty to go around. Why buy weak vegetables when you could have the best ever in your backyard for free? However, sprayed foods are very toxic and should be avoided at all cost. You can generally tell if something has been sprayed if it is near a road or foot path. Out in the wild people generally dont care to poision foods that dont look enticing. Philbeer23:33, 27 November 2007

[edit] Citing Wikipedia?

I noticed the first citation is a Wikipedia article. Should this be?

[edit] Interesting articles and sources

I used this to provide a citation & add a bit of info, but it has a lot more good stuff in it. http://www.cbc.ca/news/background/living-green/dandelions.html. ColtsScore 15:05, 14 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Tagged as needing cleanup and unreferenced

There are quite a few sections of this article that need revision. Here are a few issues:

  • Almost every sentence of the introduction begins "The Dandelion".
  • "They are known as pests or weeds to the common person" - define common person.
  • Portions of the description sound like opinion, and no facts are cited.
  • The Dandelion "Clock" is referred to as a "parachute ball" in the "Dandelion Snow" section.
  • The formatting of the Name section appears to be messed up - there is a large gap between the heading and the beginning of the text.
  • The Name section needs cited references - especially with the claims regarding "pissenlit"...
  • The Uses sections sounds like a regular snake oil advertisement. "cleansing tonic for the liver", "purify the blood" are prime examples. A lot of claims are made that I highly doubt would hold up to scientific scrutiny.

75.17.194.3 23:47, 8 July 2007 (UTC)

common person - would that be The man on the Clapham omnibus?? The modern equivalent is presumably something like the person on the Easyjet. Clean-up of Uses is well overdue imhoPlantsurfer 08:05, 6 November 2007 (UTC)

I have never heard the ripe seed head called a "clock" until today. From what I can tell, it comes from a child's game where the number of blows to remove all the seeds being the time. This strikes me as an "un-encyclopedic" word choice, rather like calling an apple stem a "husband-picker" (hold onto the stem and twist once for each letter of the alphabet, your husband's name will start with the letter you said that the stem came off). I'm guessing it's almost never past 3 o'clock and all Williams are doomed to remain single. Myridon (talk) 16:35, 7 April 2008 (UTC)

There can be few native English speakers who have not heard it. The name dandelion clock is referred to in the Oxford English Dictionary, and gets 63,900 hits on Google, so I think you will find it rather well embedded in the culture. Plantsurfer (talk) 17:34, 7 April 2008 (UTC)


[edit] Macrospecies?

I am not a botanist, but I'm having trouble believing there is any such thing as a macrospecies as mentioned in the "Description" section. I'm going to change it to "microspecies" if no one minds. --Milkbreath (talk) 19:18, 15 May 2008 (UTC)

If you don't know, don't change it.--Graminophile (talk) 19:42, 15 May 2008 (UTC)
It should be microspecies. I've changed it. Lavateraguy (talk) 19:49, 5 June 2008 (UTC)
Macrospecies is a correct term used to describe the species complexes with in dandelions, the term might be a bit obscure for this page with out a definition. Hardyplants (talk) 22:41, 5 June 2008 (UTC)