RARITYSEpic
Dandelion
Taraxacum officinale
The Cupster
HEALTH
POTENTIAL
Dandelion is one of the easiest useful plants in Europe to overlook. The leaf is a bitter green. The root is a digestive bitter and prebiotic fibre source. The flower feeds insects and has a place in old kitchen traditions. The value is not in one dramatic use. It is in how many ordinary uses one common plant carries.
The Rooms
THE GIFTSBody, kitchen, material, living world — what the plant gives.
LAYERSThe biography — past, present, future.
GOLD MINEThe action ladder — free moves to deeper plays.
- Pick only from places you trust.
- Avoid roadsides, sprayed lawns, industrial ground, and places where dogs pass often.
- Wash the plant well before eating.
- Start with a small amount if you have never eaten it before.
- If you react badly to daisies, chamomile, ragweed, or similar plants, skip it.
- If you use strong herbal extracts or capsules every day, treat them like a supplement, not like salad.