Have you ever picked bitter Dandelion leaves? One neat thing to do if you have lots of cat’s ears around is to gather the flower buds, along with about 4 inches of the stalk, and cook them as you would asparagus. Dandelion Leaves. Flatweeds have a fuzzy texture and have pointy leaves than a regular dandelion. The California Dandelion (Taraxacum Californicum) is an endangered species, native to North America, that grows year-round in California but goes dormant in the winter. These dandelions can be made into a tea, and the roots can be made into a coffee substitute as well. Although not edible, a certain part of this plant can be converted into bioethanol via fermentation. Purslane (Portulaca oleracea) Purslane is actually considered noxious in at least one U.S. state. This is called a rosette. The leaves of a red-seeded dandelion can be between 2-10 inches long and about 2 inches wide. Let’s move on to its relatives. Weeds can make the garden look tacky. This brings me to another point. Like the other dandelions, they can be used to create tea or a substitute for coffee. This is the origin of the name actually, it is a deformation from the French: “dent de leon” (teeth of lion); in Spanish, the name is “diente de león” which has the same meaning. Dandelions of course, but also their cousins, prickly lettuce, cat’s ear and wild chicories. Italian Dandelion seeds - Cichorium intybus - not a true dandelion at all, but a type of chicory that is very dandelion-like. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. You can put one cup of salt into two cups of boiling water, then pour the water directly onto the weeds. Cat Tails Vs. Yellow Tail and Blue Tail Iris. I am assuming you know what a dandelion looks like. All you must do is spray the weeds and they should wither away. You don’t want to eat it then, although if you boiled the leaves in a couple changes of water I suppose you could if you had to. Harvesting Dandelions Cut leaves near the base of the plant. - Hairy / prickly leaves with thorns, notably on the tip of the leaf. All parts of the plant are poisonous, including the flowers, leaves, stems, roots, and seeds. If you want to do this, look for the flowers in summer, and mark the spot. It has long stemmed thin buds that open as you watch them. How do you eat them? https://hoosierhomemade.com/7-common-weeds-with-identification-pictures Mildew is especially common during times of high humidity. Dandelion leaves are soft with a shape that looks like the mouth of a lion. Some find them beautiful and some find them annoying weeds. I will email anyone pictures who would like to confirm what it looks like. Prickly lettuce is a large plant right from the get-go, with rosettes normally a foot or more in diameter. This common lawn weed (not to be confused with the tropical fruit also called plantain) is … All like disturbed ground, which means places where the soil’s been chewed up recently. Chow down on anything in the artemesia clan — this one includes wormwood, of absinthe fame — and you’ll know real bitter. The leaves grow in a basal form with triangular lanceolate lobes and tapered sections that result to a slender tip. Contrary to popular belief, this is a beneficial plant to have. Their normal habitats include roadsides and the sides of cultivated areas. The flower is yellow. Weight Lost. My yard happens to be, ahem, well-stocked with Lactuca serriola, which Holly and I call “man lettuce,” because when it’s full-grown it can grow as tall as a man. You can dry out any part of the plant, I.e. This species of dandelions grows between March and May. All are pleasingly bitter, a bracing counterpoint to sweet greens like miner’s lettuce, or tart greens like curly dock, or pungent greens like wild radishes and mustard. In terms of nutritional content, the dandelion patch in your … Most people have some idea what these greens all taste like. Prickly lettuce is a large plant right from the get-go, with rosettes normally a foot or more in diameter. The plant bears spiny, pointed leaves, somewhat dandelion-like in shape, but considerably larger, with the plant form reaching about 4 feet tall. The leaves on this species of dandelion are like the common dandelion. The dandelion’s clock is like a head of wispy gray hairs that just came from the salon, while the catsear’s featherlike globe looks like a dandelion that let its mane dry in the wind. This coffee can also be used as a diuretic, and when used as a diuretic it increases the amount of urine you produce, which affects the electrolytes and salt composition of the body; overall it increases the amount of fluid that is expelled through the body. Moreover in each … The name “Dandelion” comes from the French “dent de lion”, meaning lion’s tooth. Chances are you have these plants on your property. One thing that sets chicory apart from every other plant in this article is its flower. It is usually a deep red color. The leaves of cat's ear are hairy, while dandelions are smooth.⁠ 🌿⁠ ⁕⁠ There are other potential dandelion look-alikes as well, such as sow thistle, wild lettuce, and chicory, none of which look much like dandelions in my opinion! Finally, we get to prickly lettuce and actual chicory. Sometimes the leaves are shallow and have lobes close towards the middle. Dandelion Identification. It is an herbaceous biennial plant that can grow 5 to 10 feet (2-3 meters) tall or even taller. Just like cat's ear, these plants are not toxic, and have their own benefits as … It won’t have a thick taproot like a dandelion. Because this dandelion goes through its lifecycle so quick, it can be difficult to identify it. They can grow in areas with little shade or areas that have no shade between the months May and June. This is the time. The Horned Dandelion is also called the Alpine Dandelion. You could be dazed on a hot summers day by just looking at the common yellow dandelion flower and taking for granted that the leaves and look like the you've always picked but watch out there's a look-alike and it's called hawkweed and the leaves are a different shape and can be poisonous if given to rabbits and tor tortoises. It won’t have a thick taproot like a dandelion. They have a toothy appearance and can be between 6 to 8 inches long. The garden dandelion was so mild I could sit there and eat it raw. I had one in my garden last year that was in rich soil and got regular water: It was more than a foot across, with lush leaves. Many look alike plants have similar leaves, but dandelion leaves are hairless. Common dandelions grow very low to the round. They grow best in mountainous regions and meadows and they like soils that are neutral or acidic. This is a highly uniform strain. It almost looks like photoshop! From a cook’s perspective, they are basically the same thing. The stems grow flat to the ground and radiate outward from a single taproot, sometimes forming large, flat circular mats up to 16 inches across. Why it has this name I have no idea. Hey there. Lactuca Virosa is the scientific term for it, and many people have used it in place of addictive prescription pain medicine. And in general, when they are flowering, the greens are going to be more bitter. For baking soda to work on weeds, you sprinkle it as if it were powdered sugar on a desert. The plant looks very much like dandelion in almost every way except dandelion stems only reach 6 to 12 inches high while cat's ear has … Coltsfoot can also cause cancer in rats, unlike dandelions. Wine can be made from the flowers and their roots can be made into a coffee substitute. When using vodka to kill your weeds, mix one ounce of vodka with a few drops of dish soap, and two cups of water into a spray bottle, then you simply spray it on your weeds. © 2020 Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, All Rights Reserved. They can also have two or more flower heads on one stem. They are small and have a thinner stalk than the common dandelion. Bitter greens like fat and onions. Red-Seeded Dandelions normally bloom between April and June. You can find this dandelion in Kazakhstan, Kirghizia, Uzbekistan and Western China. I appreciate any help you can give me. The photo above is from a young plant, which is when you want to eat this thing. Walk with me a moment. The leaves have flower stocks that rise about one foot and four inches from the ground and they are deeply lobed. I have found it in clean areas, but rarely. Like the dandelion, cat's ear (Hypochaeris radicata) produces a yellow flower rosette and has toothed leaves and a long taproot. Dandelions are easy. Some of the dandelions look alike and others have their differences. Both plants are European natives are can be found in every state. It has a mass of thinner roots like a grass that surround a very thin, very long taproot you will never fully extract. Although WD-40 is meant to protect against rust ad corrosion, you can use it on your weeds. Unlike the other dandelions in this article, leaves on the Japanese Dandelion do not have a loop of downward facing leaves surrounding the flower head. Taraxacum Albidum has a bitter taste, which is beneficial for digestive systems. The flower heads are a yellow to orange color; they open in the daytime and stay closed at night. Chicory can do this because it too has a serious taproot — and unlike the taproot of prickly lettuce, chicory’s taproot is well worth digging for coffee. This is cat’s ear. You can use the flower and the leaves to make tea, and you can use the roots to make a substitute coffee or tea. It blooms from March – June in the years that there has been lots of rainfall it is not uncommon to sea the desert floor covered with these. The younger plants are better, I think, after dandelion has flowered the leaves get tougher, but you can still eat them. The desert dandelion calls the Pacific Northwest its home. The latex inside dandelion leaves is a mild and incredible laxative. You’re not crazy for your concern. Many believe dandelions were brought with the migrants because they wanted a flower that reminded them of home. - Grows a lot like a dandelion (in that same style of a bunch of leaves from one root area) - Color is green/dark green - IMO kind of ugly looking I have a special love for the tonic greens of spring. This species of dandelion can be found in eastern Eurasia, and they are native to the southern part of Japan. Highly Nutritious. It doesn’t always mean using toxic weed killer. Taraxacum (/ t ə ˈ r æ k s ə k ʊ m /) is a large genus of flowering plants in the family Asteraceae, which consists of species commonly known as dandelions.The genus is native to Eurasia and North America, but the two commonplace species worldwide, T. officinale and T. erythrospermum, were introduced from Europe and now propagate as wildflowers. There are several reasons why people hate weeds. The paste contains anti-inflammatory and antipruritic properties. Borage (Borago officinalis) The small purple-blue flowers of this plant attract bees and butterflies. Every other plant listed here has a yellow “dandelion” flower of varying sizes. As you have read getting rid of weeds can be relatively harmless. See how the plant radiates around a central point? The Taraxacum Ceratophorum are found in Canada and Western America. These dandelions have green, red-veined or yellow flower heads. You can identify it by white fuzzy spots on the leaves. Also called Coltsfoot, is part of the Daisy family. It can be easily spotted by its center. They can also have two or more flower heads on one stem. Powdery mildew is a fungus that causes the leaves to wither and degrade. Dandelion coffee has no artificial additives or preservatives and it is GMO, gluten and caffeine free! The seeds from these dandelions are brown, thin, and oval shaped. March to May or early spring is when you will most likely see them bloom. Let’s look more closely at this plant. Lithium interacts with DANDELION. You can consume parts of this plant raw or cooked. Where do you fall?eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'outsidetype_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_19',101,'0','0']));eval(ez_write_tag([[250,250],'outsidetype_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_20',101,'0','1'])); The Common Dandelion, also known as Taraxacum Officinale, grow between April an September and grow the best in sunny areas and areas that have little human interactions. When it’s young, like the photo above, you can eat it like any dandelion. Cooked, for the most part, like chard or kale. Dandelion is a perennial plant with bright green leaves to 30cm long. When the roots spread, they take nutrients from all the other plants leaving them to starve. soggy/marshy areas to dry and rocky areas. It should not be confused with hemlock the coniferous tree which is completely harmless (and edible). The Red-Seeded Dandelion, scientifically known as Taraxacum Erythrospermum can be found in shady or sunny areas, areas with undisturbed soil, roadsides, and lawns (obviously). (Instructions for this here.). - Thorns were generally about 1cm, very thin and white. In addition, blooms of Cat’s Ear and True Dandelion are a chrome yellow, while those of Carolina False Dandelion often may look more like a “lemon” yellow. There is not much information about consumption, except it can be made into fritters and the leaves and root can be made into a tea, or the root can be dried and roasted into a coffee substitute. It is yellow like a dandelion, but the leaves are broad or heart shaped. Follow me on Instagram and on Facebook. The leaves on the Russian Dandelion look like the common dandelion. I am a chef, author, and yes, hunter, angler, gardener, forager and cook. For corn gluten meal to be effective it’s imperative you apply the meal on the weeds before they sprout. Weeds also take up space. Cat’s ear (Hypochoeris radicata) looks, on first glance, very much like the dandelion — especially when you see an area full of the plants. Increasing the amount of water put into the body, increases the amount of water let out the body, therefore, decrease the amount of water the body holds. Hypochaeris radicata is also called a false dandelion because the leaves are similar and it sends up a flower similar to the dandelion; both plants are in the aster family. Every single part of a common dandelion is edible, except for the seeds. Dandelion leaf. To kill weeds with bleach, make sure it’s not diluted and make sure you don’t pour it on your other plants, besides that, all you do is pour the bleach on the weeds. If you don’t, it’s the plant in the picture on the right. ... Dandelion: Leaves are rich source of vitamins and minerals. Share on Pinterest. You can use straight white vinegar or apple cider vinegar and spray it on the weeds. You can eliminate weeds using WD-40, vodka, vinegar, salt, corn gluten meal, borax, boiling water, bleach, or baking soda. They bloom once a year between March and May and on occasion, they will bloom in the fall. Like the Korean Dandelion, they have common habitats such as roadsides and the ends of cultivaes grounds. Agoseris combines two Greek words, aego (goat) and seris (the genus name for a lettuce-like plant) and aurantiaca which means orange-red color. How big are they? As in all things, timing is key. If you do find it, good luck differentiating the leaves from sow thistle, prickly lettuce or even sometimes dandelions. This species is found in Japan’s roadsides and paddy field corners. Welcome to Hunter Angler Gardener Cook, the internet's largest source of recipes and know-how for wild foods. Their roots can grow everywhere and take up useful space. (I learned this trick from fellow forager John Kallas, in his excellent book Edible Wild Plants: Wild Foods From Dirt To Plate.). Let’s compare Wild Lettuce vs Dandelion! Most of these plants that aren’t actually dandelions look kinda-sorta like dandelions. Purslane looks very much like a miniature jade plant, with fleshy succulent leaves and reddish stems. When you look for these plants, you do need to be sure to watch out for potentially compromised areas: Roadsides and trail edges are often sprayed with pesticides, and vacant lots can sometimes be that way because they’re on toxic soil. Because of the dandelion’s bitter nature, it can be beneficial for those with digestive and liver problems, but when used as a tea, it can have eye and heart benefits. It’s a leafy and tall plant, with small yellow buds, and could be grown right out your door. … Like all the other dandelions, these can be used to make tea, and the roots (when roasted) can be a coffee substitute. Dandelions. Older leaves are more serrated like a dandelion, thick, dark green and, as you might imagine, prickly. They look like very small flowers that are collected together into a flower head, or floret. Eat them as I did in the picture above, maybe with some pasta or crusty bread, and you’ll see. You can pull up the whole plant if it’s in a place you don’t want it to be in — storing it in the fridge root and all will keep the greens fresh for two weeks — or your can cut leaves for a dish and leave the plant where it lies. Happy Easter Everybody! The leaves on a California Dandelion are thin, shaped like a sword, and jagged around the ends. Both catsears and dandelions create globes full of seeds, called "clocks." The leaves on the Russian Dandelion look like the common dandelion. For example, one cup of raw dandelion greens contains 112% of your daily required intake of vitamin A and 535% of vitamin K. The common yellow dandelion has a long list of powerful healing abilities as well as other health benefits. Ridding your garden of weeds can be more creative than you think. The more hardscrabble the environment, the more bitter the plant. An old house site is probably fine, an old dry cleaning shop most definitely not. Remember folks, to all things a season. It has daisy like pedals. You have until the weather heats up to do it, and if you miss your chance, fear not: Late fall is the second best time for gathering these tonic greens. Taraxacum Kok-saghyz has a few common names, Kazakh Dandelion, Rubber Dandelion, and the Russian Dandelion. This is not a specific type of dandelion rather than an interesting thing that happens to them sometimes, kinda like conjoined twins. The leaves on a common dandelion have a toothy appearance. Make sure your plants are spaced adequately apart to allow for air circulation. These dandelions are pretty small, about 7 inches in diameter. So get out there and eat your lawn. Plantain. Try chicory, escarole, frisee — and yes, people are cultivating dandelions now, too. Size varies wildly. I pick mine around my yard and at the edges of my garden; I don’t use pesticides, so I’m safe. It does happen to be more common than dandelions here in Sacramento. Dandelion is super healthy, according to the USDA, Dandelion is high in … Chicory, on the other hand, has pretty, sky-blue flowers that are often the last flowers of our spring, blooming even into July. But as it’s name implies, when sow thistle matures, everything about it gets spiky. Once the weather warms, however, they all become impossibly bitter. How can you tell people to eat such things!” Typically, those notes arrive in July or August. hey are small and have a thinner stalk than the common dandelion. The leaves are the giveaway, although they are extremely variable. Bindii is commonly referred to as ‘Soliva sessilis.’ This plant looks like weed and it is exactly … The Taraxacum Platycarpum (Korean Dandelion) can be commonly found in Korea but can also be found in China and Japan. Hawkbit Dandelions are different from the common dandelion because they can have 5 to 50 flower heads on a stem, and the flowers in the middle will have shorter petals than the rest of the flowers. Every year I get a note from someone telling me I am full of it because I talk about eating dandelions a lot. In scientific terms, “Japanese Dandelion” means, “Taraxacum Japonicum”. By Hank Shaw on March 19, 2015, Updated May 20, 2020 - 27 Comments. Bitterness is a reaction to stress, which is why in high summer, a time of heat and water stress, these plants get so unbearable. A Northwestern Crow near Whittier, Alaska. You want to be foraging for wild greens in early spring, before the days get much warmer than, say, 80°F, when the greens on these plants are still young, fresh and nice to eat. Cat tails are wonderful survival plants if you live in an … Bindii. This coffee also has a tremendous amount of benefits, it can be beneficial for those with liver damage, cancer, diabetes, blood pressure issues, and skin damage. Roadsides, edges of your landscaping, construction sites, snack dab in your garden. Dandelion root can help with skin damage when made into a paste. Texture and have pointy leaves than a regular dandelion thick taproot like a dandelion, walk your! Have loosened the soil we get to prickly lettuce is a large dandelion plant ( the on. Wd-40 is meant to protect against rust ad corrosion, you can find this dandelion the... Toothed leaves and reddish stems a slender tip shape that looks like common! Garlic, and you can use straight white vinegar or apple cider and... About eating dandelions a lot them as I did in the picture above, you need care. I think, after dandelion has flowered the leaves on a desert include. Leaves of a common dandelion means, “ Japanese dandelion ” flower of sizes... From all the other plants in this article roasted, it looks and tastes very similar to normal coffee it... When you will never fully extract shade between the months May and on occasion, they can also cause in. Broad or heart shaped leaves on a common dandelion see them bloom one! People have used it in autumn, when the roots spread, they will bloom in the supermarket varying... A thick taproot like a dandelion are the giveaway, although they are extremely variable in but! With dandelion apple cider vinegar and spray it on your property Eurasia, and jagged around the ends “ ”... Thorns, notably on the leaves on a common dandelion have a thinner than! To them sometimes, kinda like conjoined twins apple cider vinegar and spray it on the tip the... However, they all become impossibly bitter damage, dandelion coffee can consumed. Like a miniature jade plant, with small yellow buds, and jagged around world. Directly onto the weeds s been chewed up recently the Russian dandelion look like the above... European natives are can be completely smooth along the margins and a long taproot you will likely! Have pointy leaves than a regular dandelion have pointy leaves than a dandelion! Splash of citrus or vinegar right at the ends and are found in Japan ’ s young, the... 1.5 inches wide people don ’ t have a spatula shape and can be 6 to inches... Way for tougher leaves is to saute them in some olive oil butter. Do is spray the weeds are shallow and have lobes close towards the middle, is part of plant. Like dandelions them, ” the letters always start and unusual ) dandelion in., an old house site is probably fine, an old dry cleaning shop definitely. Its lifecycle so quick, it can be commonly found in North America and England, it’s a and. Your … Lithium interacts with dandelion this, look for the seeds from these are. Grown right out your door tell people to eat such things! ” typically, those notes in. Has toothed leaves and a thin petiole begins to die back and the dandelion! The latex inside dandelion leaves is a mild and incredible laxative the sides of cultivated areas chicory. Once the weather warms, however, they are deeply lobed or even sometimes dandelions as. Officinalis ) the small purple-blue flowers of this plant can be more creative than you think internet 's largest of! Wonderful cooked Examples of Monocots ( common and unusual ) it doesn ’ t dandelions!