Dandelion Daydreams…

By Bethany “BST2” Armstrong

My favorite flower is the dandelion. Most people find it to be a nuisance weed marring their beautiful lawn. But people were pulling grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions up until the 1800s because it is such a useful plant.

All parts of the dandelion are useable – flower, leaves, and roots. Dandelions can make food, dye, medicine, wine, root beer, and a substitute for coffee. They’re high in calcium, iron, and vitamins A and C.

The dandelion is used to represent the celestial bodies. The yellow flower is the sun. The orb of dandelion fluff is the moon. When the fluff is scattered to the winds it represents the stars. The seeds can travel as far 5 miles away. I spent many a summers day blowing on dandelion fluff and making wishes.

Dandelions are among the world’s most recognizable flowers. They are the cockroaches of the plant world -survivors down to their roots – unappreciated for their tenacity.

The folk wisdom in my family said that if the dandelions were out, it was warm enough to go barefoot. My sisters and I would compete to find the first dandelion of the summer, run in to show it to Mother, shuck our shoes and dash outside. My children do the same thing (even though one is nearly 22) and I couldn’t be happier.

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