Rethinking the dandelion: from weed to vital pollinator partner

Those of us of a certain age will fondly recall the late Kim Flottum, an advocate and true friend to our winged pollinators and those pesky perennial blooming dandelions.

He was also, for many years, the editor of Bee Culture Magazine, an author of numerous books on beekeeping and bees, and longtime president of the Medina County Beekeepers Association.

I mention this about Flottum because he would always remind folks during his talks or writings that dandelions were one of the critical early spring flowers providing necessary food for bees and butterflies. So it got me thinking (I know – it’s dangerous), who exactly determined that dandelions (Taraxacum officinale), the most familiar plant in the world, while being a relative to mums, dahlias, marigolds, zinnias, coneflowers and daisies – none of which are “weeds” – is a weed? Why have we turned our lawns into a monoculture of grass, becoming a food desert for our pollinators? How has an ancient, successful plant, food source and medicine become so unwanted that we spend collectively oodles of money and tons of harmful chemicals to eradicate a plant that refuses to grow in neat rows?

Let’s dig down to the dandelion roots to turn over some answers. Dandelion comes from the French dent-de-lion, meaning “lion’s tooth,” due to the jagged leaf edges. They are not native to our country, having been purposely brought here – let me write that again – purposely brought here by Pilgrims and European settlers from the Old Country to the New World in the 1600s. The reason was the plant’s medicinal properties, while the entire plant is edible, tasty and nutritious.

More dandelion facts: blooms open in daytime and close at night. Dandelion pollen does not cause allergies because the grains are too large to be bothersome. Dandelion flowers do not need pollination to form seed, and the seed can travel windblown up to 5 miles. The dandelion taproot can extend to 15 feet, though the average is about 18 inches. The taproot was also ground and used as a coffee substitute, much like chicory. Dandelions are prized for medicinal properties – being an antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and diuretic – supporting liver health, aiding digestion and reducing bloating. They are high in vitamins A, C and K.

Before uttering profanities at your yard full of dandelion “weeds,” consider that they are representing heavenly bodies – the yellow flower (sun), puffball (moon), and scattering seeds (stars across the galaxy – your lawn).

Speaking of lawns, they have long been a symbol of wealth because they suggest a person can afford to maintain unproductive land – a highly manicured plot of grass. Our modern-day mini-estates, landscapes and yards in suburban and HOA settings reflect that thinking. If trends come and go, perhaps our landscape future will become more pollinator-friendly, with a cottage garden style rather than today’s labor-intensive, monotone green look.

Our gathering today is a respect, remembrance and thanks to a friend and kindred spirit to us all, Kim Flottum.

Native Americans of the Lakota people share this wisdom: “When a man moves away from nature, his heart becomes hard.”

Until we meet again – peace.