->snippedIt's true that any plant can be a weed, but the reverse is also true, that i RA>we can redeem our weeds if we identify their value.
RA>Best of luck in your weed / plant identification quest.
(Different stalks for different folks 8-)
I understand the much dispised dandylion is not native to north america; it was brought here by some of our anglo-saxon ancestors who felt it had medicinal attributes (I had an uncle who made an interesting wine from it 8-).
Ciao, Ack.
The dandelion was also accepted as a potherb centuries back. Although largely rejected in home gardens, today the dandelion is known to be good forage on the ranges, and is especially relished by sheep and cattle.
I picked up some of this information from the book "Weeds of the West". You can find out more about dandelions and other weeds in other weed identification references as well, many of which are listed on EWIRM.
As good as they may be, don't feel guilty about pulling them out of your lawn, 'cause you know they'll survive our rejections quite well.
Ray _______________________________________________ EWIRM: Know your weeds to control your weeds!
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Plus a lot of people call sundry hawkweeds dandelions.
The name T. officianale may actually embrace scores or hundreds of species originally from Northern Europe, as the "variants" are so extreme that for any other plant they'd definitely get their own species names. It's too bad it's too weedy to just grow as an intentional crop, as the roots especially can be extremely good eating, & should have been selectively bred for fatter roots, as some variants have long stringy root difficult to work with, others have stubbier really fat roots splendid for the table, & a root-hunt in the meadows can be frustrating if the given strain or variant all have long stringy taproots.
I harvest the largest fresh leaves as tastier than most lettuce, & far tastier than spinach or chard or any number of crappier greens. I occasionally set out to harvest the roots but it's hard locally to find the ones with roots big enough to be worth skinning. Here's the only way I prepare them: Skin 'em with a potato pealer, cut them in inch-long segments & cut those in half lengthwise, soak in water overnight then discard the water. Fry them in a bit of oil & flavor with soysauce. Good enough for a side-dish sprinkled with sesame seeds, or mixed with freshly oven-baked or wok-fried hulled pumpkin seeds -- careful, the seeds "hop" as they heat up -- or tossed into fried rice or noodles. Oh god, I gotta go dig some right now.
I know people fight dandelions then come to hate them because it's impossible to win the war. I like them so much for eatin' it's impossible for me to hate them, even though being at least a little annoyed by there omnipresence in no-weeds-allowed gardens is inescapable.
-paghat the ratgirl
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