Foraging for Dandelion Leaves
What are Dandelions?
Dandelions are short plants that are growing rampantly almost everywhere!!! They are considered weeds, and so much so, they are pretty much the poster child of the weed “villains” in the landscaping industry. The cool thing is, these plants are actually cultivating in other areas of the world because of their medicinal properties! Overall, dandelions are popular, but not in ways you might think.
Are Dandelion Leaves Edible?
Yes! The entire plant is edible. The leaves, the stem, the blossom, the roots and even the seeds! Dandelion’s have actually shown to have many health benefits such as, anti-inflammatory properties, filled with antioxidants, can help reduce high blood pressure, helps to reduce high cholesterol, contains a lot of fiber, strengthens bone health, has anti-bacterial properties, and may even help kill cancer cells!!!! (source) Isn’t that awesome?!? Here I’ll be showing you how to specifically forage for dandelion leaves.
How to Identify Dandelion Leaves?
Dandelion leaves grow starting from the base of the dandelion plant. In early spring, bright yellow flowers bloom coming up from a long thin stem. The stem is filled with a white sap that feels sticky to the touch. The leaves can either be lobed or smooth. The lobes can vary in size along with the size of the length of the leaf itself. The leaves have a red thin base that expands into a light green leaf that has the texture of butter lettuces.
Please be careful when attempting to identify Dandelions!!! If you are unsure if the plant you have found is indeed a dandelion, then discard and do more research to better identify this plant. The reason this is so so important is that there are countless kinds of toxic/poisonous plants that risking this could potentially become a life threatening situation. Again, please refer to guide books on foraging and do more research before you make the call.
Foraging for Dandelion Leaves
Foraging for dandelion leaves is so easy. Grab a basket or a strainer and go to a shady place where you see an abundance of dandelion plants. The shade allows for the plant to develop soft and supple leaves that aren’t stringy and fibrous. Look for immature plants with light green and shorter leaf length. These leaves will have much better flavor! Pinch the leaf near the bottom of the plant and pull away firmly. The leaf should pop off from the bottom relatively easily. Gather enough that you want to consume but too much so that the plants in that area are too weak to recover. There you go! Its that simple.
How to Forage For Dandelion Leaves
- Grab a basket or a strainer and go to a shady place where you see an abundance of dandelion plants. The shade allows for the plant to develop soft and supple leaves that aren’t stringy and fibrous.
- Look for immature plants with light green and shorter leaf length. These leaves will have much better flavor!
- Pinch the leaf near the bottom of the plant and pull away firmly. The leaf should pop off from the bottom relatively easily.
- Gather enough that you want to consume but too much so that the plants in that area are too weak to recover. Yes, this may sound silly because they are everywhere, but it’s always better to see creation as something we steward rather than a thing that is infinitely consumable.
- Once you have the right amount, take the leaves inside and spray them off with water. You can then store them in an airtight container in the fridge for about 3 days or in the freezer for about 3-6 months.
I hope you enjoyed learning how to forage for dandelion leaves.
Au revoir!!
Emma ♡