As a child, I loved playing with dandelions. I made wishes before blowing their puffy seeds and watching them float away on the breeze. Like if they would carry my wishes to the heavens. As an adult, I still appreciate this little but fascinating gift of nature and I smile when I see them. Although I’ve learned what a pain they can be in the garden, I never spray them with weed killer. In fact (when I had a lawn) I don’t even dig them out of the lawn. Dandelions are not just a weed. They are a beautiful, useful, and versatile flower. Here’s how I believe that dandelion is my favorite plant.
Once upon a time, dandelions were a beloved flower and considered a normal part of a healthy lawn. Then we invented chemical herbicides. Because chemical weed killers also kill dandelions and other wildflowers that you may find in an untreated lawn, the producers of weed killers spent a lot of time marketing a new concept of a healthy lawn, that is, one with nothing but plain green grass.
Moreover, it is one of the first spring foods for bees. I also came to know that the entire dandelion plant is edible. Dandelion plants are full of nutrients.
Dandelions are also often considered to have medicinal qualities. Studies on animals show that dandelion may help normalize blood sugar levels and lower total cholesterol. It is also a well documented appetite stimulant. Consumption of this weed has even been linked to improved digestion.
Dandelions have deep roots which is what makes them so hard to remove but this also leads to many benefits for the soil. The deep roots break up densely packed soils allowing for more water and air flow, which is healthy for soil ecosystems. These roots also bring up nutrients to the surface, benefiting plants like tomatoes which have shallower roots. Even the shoots you do pull up can be useful to your garden. The leaves of the dandelions are nutrient rich and can make great compost or mulch for your lawn and garden.
But that is just the tip of ice berg. Let me explain why I like dandelions the most.
To me, dandelions remind me of the beauty, determination, and wild strength of nature. Have you ever walked down a street and noticed a small bump in the tarmac each day you walk past that bump, and it seems to get slightly bigger? You probably ignore it.
Then one day, you notice a small delicate flower has popped up. It has pushed its way through the tarmac. Finally, its bright yellow flower and gloriously green leaves reach the sun, surrounded by a desert of tarmac. I imagine it shouting out, "Hello world. I'm here!” Dandelions and nature, in general, remind me of several of the things we need to manage our wellbeing effectively. It's also helpful to remember that nature won't be rushed, and may be we don't have to rush to our destination and miss the journey in the process. Life, after all, is about the journey, not the destination.
In my example, we can see that the dandelion is nothing if determined. Despite the best effort of the tarmac, the hardcore underneath, the trampling feet above, it is determined to push through and reach the surface. So sometimes, we, too, need to be determined to keep trying and not give up.
"Look deep into nature, and then you will understand everything better."
It has also shown resilience. It didn't give up. Through grit and determination, it kept on growing. It could have given up. It could have thought, what's the point? But it didn't. It had life, and it fought to grow for the chance to flourish and thrive. Again, this is something we have to do. At times of struggle, we must dig deep, get back up when we fall, keep putting one foot in front of the other. But as long as there is life, there is hope; And if there is hope, there is growth.
The dandelion, and nature in general, also reminds us that life is a marathon, not a sprint. When you watch things grow, you will notice you don't see much. Growth occurs through consistent small, slow steps. Nature doesn't rush, it can't be rushed, but it gets everything done.
As dandelions provide insects with food and shelter, and in turn, they pollinate its flowers. Our world, our survival and our well being depend on our connectedness with each other and nature. Being mindful of nature can help us remember this interconnectivity and how our actions impact others and vice versa. Remember the saying
"If you want to travel fast, go alone. If you're going to travel far, go together."
Returning finally to dandelions, there is one final reason I love Dandelions. No matter how hard we try to eradicate dandelions from the face of Earth, they still show up. Occasionally, we have to accept those things that cause us distress. Indeed, sometimes that's the only path that stops them from hurting us.
We can use my love of dandelions to illustrate one final point; we can see the same things in different ways. Some find dandelions a frustrating weed but I see them as inspirational flowers. All of us are different, and all of us have our own unique problems and struggles that might not be so challenging to others. Being aware of this can also help us be less judgemental when others are struggling and too ourselves. Your struggles are not invalid because others do not share them, and vice versa.
Next time you see a dandelion, don’t think of an invasive weed that must be nuked. Instead think of the gifts of nature, pretty flowers, food source, inspiration. Whatever you do, enjoy, don’t destroy!
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