Friday, March 24, 2006

taraxacum officinale

this is our first spring in charlottesville and we are having fun discovering the botanical offerings in our yard. today we saw our first dandelion. it drives me mad that so many people try to rid their yards of dandelions. they are amazing nutritional and medicinal gifts. the greek word taraxsos means disorder and akos means remedy. the leaves are loaded with calcium, iron and vitamin a. the roots are one of the best liver tonics around. and if you're not worried about your liver, then make dandelion wine. it will knock your socks off.

dandelions are good for so many things, that you should just clickity click and read. let them flourish in your yard. and love them. walt whitman did.

The First Dandelion

Simple and fresh and fair from winter's close emerging,

As if no artifice of fashion, business, politics, had ever been,

Forth from its sunny nook of shelter'd grass--innocent, golden, calm as the dawn,

The spring's first dandelion shows its trustful face.

(from "Leaves of Grass," by Walt Whitman)

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