They are everywhere this time of year, spring. But should you mow them or pull them out of the lawn? The answer is clear: no.
Its scientific name is Taraxacum Officinale Weber. It is a plant belonging to the Asteraceae family, and although it has sometimes been considered a “weed”, the truth is that it can have great benefits for nature, and consequently, also for humans.
Dandelions grow abundantly, even among sidewalks and cities. Although in many places it is considered a weed, the reality is that this plant has a large number of benefits and properties. In fact, in Ancient Greece it was already used as a natural remedy. In more recent times, dandelion fields were even planted instead of grass because of the many health benefits it has, in addition to the fact that its flowers attract pollinators.
The origin of the dandelion is valued as European, although it is currently spread throughout much of the world. It is a very common plant to find in the wild in fields, meadows, and roads, which is why, as we pointed out above, it is sometimes considered a “weed”.
There are a large number of tutorials to get rid of them in gardens, since once they appear they easily spread throughout green areas as they are a truly intrusive weed. Expert weed control is the best solution in this situation. However, they do not always have to be eradicated completely. Controlling it is more advisable but eliminating it completely is not a wise decision. There are many weed control services you can contact but not all are really worth considering. Only some of them can carry out specialized control and if you ask us, we would suggest Gecko Green.
Experts warn on the contrary that we should not get rid of them. Because? This is the bees’ first meal after a long winter. Dandelions attract bees with nectar, a sugar-filled water liquid that foragers use as fuel. Bees, hungry in spring, find a really sweet gold in dandelions that helps with pollination.
Dandelions have numerous medicinal properties but experts advise against pulling them out. Much has been said about the benefits of dandelion as a medicinal plant and its diuretic, purifying, laxative, cholagogue (produces bile secretion), antirheumatic, tonic, healing, antibilious, and hepatoprotective properties. Another interesting fact, dandelion stimulates the secretion of stomach gastric juices, which facilitates digestion. Dandelion is a good ally as an infusion after eating meals that may be heavy. As it is detoxifying, it helps if you have eaten food in poor condition.
Its leaves can even be consumed in a salad since they contain a large amount of vitamins A, C, and iron, and even contain more iron and calcium than spinach or other vegetables. However, experts suggest that it is not positive to uproot them for the direct benefit of humans since we could cause great harm to nature. Did you get some knowledge? We hope so! Thank you for reading.
