Learning from the Dandelion
trust, resilience, tenacity and more
It’s finally the time of year when the dandelions are blooming everywhere. Though I love all the flowers of spring, the common dandelion is, for many reasons, one that I have a particular fondness for.
I enjoy the shape, texture and colors of the buds and the mature seed heads as well as the cheery yellow blooms. The toothed shape of the leaf blades are also appealing to me. I’ve enjoyed the tender greens in pho, made botanical ink from the yellow blooms, and even get a feeling of satisfaction when I’m weeding the garden and the long tap root comes out intact! Though I have not tried it myself, I know that dandelion root has medicinal properties.1 But what I appreciate most about the dandelion are the life lessons I glean from its example. Since writing about the 4 Questions in a previous post, in addition to appreciating the beauty and biology of plants and animals, I have taken to asking myself, “What can this plant or animal can teach me about being a better human?” and “How can I show appreciation for the gifts this plant or animal has given me?”
In what follows, I’ll share a fact that I appreciate about the dandelion followed by a reflection on what that fact teaches me. As for how I can show appreciation, the answer is almost always the same for each plant or animal - do as little harm as possible, respect their role in the ecosystem. Since dandelions are hearty, prolific and difficult to control if left unchecked, perhaps the greatest respect I can show this plant is to spread the word about its medicinal and culinary uses. If picked before they go to seed, dandelion greens could be grown in a vegetable garden!2
Fact: Dandelions send down a strong tap root. This helps them survive dry spells. When we want to take dandelions out of the garden we need to dig deep and remove as much of the root as possible because the plant can regrow from even a fragment of root! Lesson: in hard times, I can imagine a deep tap root of my own to help me access my strengths. I can trust that so long as I live, there will always be at least a fragment of me from which to recharge and regrow.
Fact: There could be bud, flower, and mature seed head on the same plant all at the same time. Lesson: in me, there is always an idea or contribution that is waiting to bloom or in bloom, and/or ready to release into the world.
Fact: Dandelion seeds are carried and dispersed in a variety of ways- on the wind, in the soil of our shoes, attached to animals… Lesson: there are many ways to share what I have to offer. I can trust that something of what I teach will take root and grow, even though I may never know where, when or in whom.
Fact: there is good reason to weed dandelions out of our home gardens - they can crowd out and prevent other “better behaved” plants from germinating. However, dandelions can grow in very harsh conditions, like the cracks in the sidewalk. So, in spaces where not much else can grow, dandelions might be the best early food source for insects.3 Lesson: I can adopt a nuanced view to situations and resist making choices based on black and white thinking. A thing is rarely ALL good or ALL bad.
These are just a few facts about the dandelion and ideas they spark in me. Do you admire dandelions too? Maybe you have another common, overlooked and under-appreciated plant you’d like to point us to? I hope you share your dandelion knowledge and/or other plant appreciation in the chat.
A Wild Braid Nature Journal is part of A Wild Braid. The mission of A Wild Braid is to help people experience rest and build resilience through nature journaling, guided nature walks, art, learning and community. Rest and resilience, in turn, makes it possible for us to show up for the people, beings, and planet that we care about.
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Thank You!
Sincerely,
Alma
I love these reflections Alma!
I love the facts and the reflections of yourself that the dandelion teaches you! Very enjoyable, Alma!