Interesting facts

The meaning of the scientific name Taraxacum remains unclear. The word probably comes from the Arab world, where the dandelion was mentioned in writings as early as the 10th and 11th centuries. One explanation has the name derived from the Arabic tarak = to make and sahha = to piss, a reference to the diuretic properties of the dandelion. The epithet officinale is often applied to medicinal plants and comes from the French officine = pharmacy, laboratory. It indicates that the plant is used medicinally.

The first evidence of use of the dandelion for medical purposes is found in a work of the Renaissance printer, publisher and book seller Johann Prüß (1447–1510). In 1539 the botanist, physician and Lutheran priest Hieronymus Bock (1498–1554) gave a detailed description of the flower in his magnum opus ‘Das Kreütter Buch’. In it, Bock describes its medicinal effects but also a beauty lotion made from the leaves and roots of the dandelion. The women of his time used this for freckles and to clarify the skin. In the Middle Ages the milky sap was used to combat warts and inflammation of the eyes. Additionally, an amulet with seven dandelion roots dug up on St Bartholomew’s Day was supposed to protect against ailments of the eye. In Chinese medicine an energetic relationship is seen between eyes and liver: medicinal plants such as the dandelion, which affect the liver, are thus thought also to alleviate inflammation of the eyes.

Medieval Christian symbolism saw the dandelion with its widely disseminating seeds as a symbol of Christian teachings and their dissemination. In many paintings Maria, Christ and Veronica are depicted together with the dandelion as an expression of the transitoriness of existence.

Girls were wont to use dandelions to predict their future. They blew hard on a seed head and the number of seeds left revealed how many years they would have to wait to get married. If the plant head was white they would go to heaven – if it was dark, they were destined for Hell.

Dandelion leaves in salads and cheese stimulate the appetite. The fresh buds can be preserved like capers. The dried and ground roots provide a coffee substitute. The French prefer cultivated dandelions for culinary purposes. They are bigger and less bitter than their wild cousins.