Habitat and Range
The common Dandelion grows well in moist meadows and lawns throughout California and most of the Sierra below 10,000 ft. It blooms throughout year.
Physical Description
Dandelion is a perennial weed that grows low to the ground with a basal rosette of leaves. The leaf is usually 3-4 inches long and less than 1 inch wide with sharp lobes or teeth on the margins. The leaf tapers to its base. The inflorescence is a head and is bright yellow. The ray and disk flowers are similar in color. The fruit is grayish brown and forms a blowball of seeds that are scattered in the wind. The entire seed complex is about a half-inch long.
Food Uses
The Dandelion is commonly ignored as a lawn weed, but it has many great uses. All parts of this plant should be consumed before flowering to minimize the intensely bitter flavor. The fresh leaves are excellent in salads with olive oil but make excellent potherbs as well. They are rich in Vitamins A, B, and C and minerals such as calcium, phosphorous, potassium, copper, iron and magnesium. The flowers and buds are high in Vitamin D and can be rinsed, covered in flour, and fried in butter to make a delicious treat. The root and crown (where the root meets the basal leaves) are both edible raw but exceptional when cooked.
Medicinal Uses
Taraxacum (Dandelion) is recommended for jaundice and other liver illnesses (such as cirrhosis and hepatitis). The root can be dried and chopped to make a effective medicinal tea or tincture. It is a strong diuretic and remedy for rheumatism and edema.
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