Did you know that Dandelion comes from the French language dent-de-lion, meaning, lion tooth? Named thus because the raggy leaves look like teeth. I didn't.
Do you remember being told not to pick them when you were a child because if you picked a dandelion you'd wet the bed that night? At least that old wives tale had a grain of truth. The roots of the dandelion have a strong diuretic effect but you have to eat them not just pick the flowers.
It would appear on doing some research that we should actually encourage a few dandelions in our gardens and not be intent on killing them all (take note my next door neighbours!) Dandelions are actually good for your lawn, bees love them and so do butterflies.
See I knew there was a reason why I keep a natural garden. :)
5 comments:
Your blog is an education! I hadn't heard the one about wetting the bed. My Mum just told us not to pick them or blow them because we'd spread the seads over the garden and then it'd be full of weeds.
X X
the humble dandilion! I studied horticulture years ago and this is one of the few plants I remember the nomenclature for..taraxacum officinale! I remembered it as a teranasaurus rex telling someone off...well it worded for me!
Kath
x
Thanks for that teach! I also like dandelions... however I did not know where the name came from or that you'd wet the bed if you picked them... to be honest I think they are beautiful.. the petals are amazing and so intricate... plus you can make a drink from the flower heads... I think!
x Alex
The French also call them piss en lit, thich means wet the bed.
I think they are spectacular when they get to that fluffy stage. So pretty.
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