Dandelion Seeds - Taraxacum Offininale - Nutritious & Perennial Vegetable
Quantity: 100 Seeds
Dandelion, or Taraxacum Officinale is a fantastic plant from the daisy family, Asteraceae. It originates from Eurasia, and because of its many uses, humans have naturalized it across the globe. It's a fast growing perennial, and once established, dandelions can be harvested for many years to come. The leaves taste best in the spring and autumn, but can be harvested at any time they're available and used in salads, stir fry, vinegar infusions, or dried for tea. The flowers are one of the first to come out in early spring, and can be eaten in salads, battered and fried, infused into vinegar, made into wine, and more. The roots are best harvested any time between late autumn and late winter, as the frost brings out a sweet flavour; they can be added to roasted vegetable dishes, soups, or made into a coffee substitute.
Dandelion has an undeservedly misunderstood reputation as being a "weed". By definition, a weed is an unwanted plant, so even a tomato plant can be considered to be a weed when it self sows in an undesired area. In fact, dandelion was intentionally brought to North America in the 17th century because of its' valuable use as both food and medicine. It's only the american obsession for perfectly grassy lawns that's responsible for the war against dandelions. when planted in good garden soil, dandelions grow large, lush, large rooted, and develop very good flavour in all its' parts.
Medicinally speaking, all parts of the plant act as a tonic for good health. The plants contain substances that support the liver and gal bladder, fight inflammation, help maintain good vision, lower blood pressure, regulate blood sugars, aid in digestion, promote skin health, detoxify the body, and more.
All seeds are organic and open pollinated.
Follow me on Instagram @smallislandseedco
Subscribe to my YouTube channel: Small Island Gardener
Growing Instructions
Directly sow in the earth as soon as the ground becomes workable in early spring to early summer, but if you live in a mild growing region, dandelion can be planted as late as early autumn. Dandelion is hardy down to zone 5, and can tolerate frost and snow quite well. Under ideal growing conditions, it will grow to be about two feet tall, and equally wide, but can be planted much closer together if harvestable roots are your main goal. It thrives best in full sun, but will also produce a very good harvest when grown in partial shade. It likes loamy or sandy soils, and doesn’t seem to be particular to PH, but does like the soil to be free draining of water. These plants are drought, flood, deer, and pest resistant, and can provide one with high quality food for many years to come.