Plants Pacific Northwest

Taraxacum Officinale

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Taraxacum Officinale: Dandelion

These blossom photos were made in Late-March 2003 in Vancouver.

Although the Dandelion is much hated for being a tenacious weed, this plant has some very good attributes. The young, tender leaves make good salads, and the flower heads mare sometimes crushed and used for dandelion wine.

Traditionally Taraxacum Officinale has been used as a remedy for jaundice and other disorders of the liver and gallbladder, and as a remedy for counteracting water retention. Generally, the roots of the plant have the most activity regarding the liver and gallbladder, while the diuretic activity is specific to the leaves.

Taraxacum Officinale in combination with other medicinal plants might be an effective intervention in chronic colitis. Chakurski et al treated 24 patients with chronic nonspecific colitis with an herbal combination consisting of Taraxacum Officinale, Hypericum perforatum, Melissa officinalis, Calendula officinalis, and Foeniculum vulgare.

Taraxacum Officinale is generally considered to be among the most well-tolerated medicinal plants, with virtually no documented side-effects reported. The one area of concern with administration of Taraxacum Officinale might be its possible role as an allergen in atopic individuals.