Show the Dandelions Some Respect

Saturday, March 17, 2012

The next time you walk around White Rock Lake, look down. You'll be amazed at how much beauty escapes us as we go about our business.

Have you ever stopped to admire the beauty and perfection of the white spherical seed head of the dandelion (it means lion’s tooth in Old French, in case you were wondering)? Most children love to blow away the seeds from the head, and make a wish. They are sometimes referred to as “wish flowers” in parts of the country.

This image was captured near Sunset Bay.

The spherical seed head of a dandelion. 

Obviously, the seed head did not start that way. It started out as a beautiful, bright yellow flower. Actually, each flower head is composed of thousands of small ray flowers.

The dandelion image below was captured about two feet away from the seed head referred to above. In the image, you can see a bee. A dandelion is the bee’s best friend. Most of the plants important to bees are wildflowers, and of these, the most valuable early spring wildflower is the dandelion. Bees love the dandelion because the pollen is nutritious and they have a lot of nectar. It gives the bees a huge boost and adds to the health and well-being of the hive at a critical time of the year.

 The dandelion flower head is composed of thousands of
small yellow ray flowers. 

Did you know that the dandelion flowers, the leaves, and the tap root are all edible? It is one of the safest and most popular herbal remedies, and is good for a number of different maladies, illnesses and diseases, including hepatitis and diabetes. 

The milky, white sap that comes from the leaf removes warts and moles, is good for pimples and sores, and soothes blisters and bee stings.

So next time you see a dandelion as you walk around White Rock Lake, show it some respect. You never know when you may need one!

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