“When you look at a field of dandelions, you can either see a hundred weeds or a hundred wishes.” - Unknown

As I type this, I am wondering if spring is really here. The temperatures are crazy. It snowed last week! I am I anxiously peering at my flower beds hoping to see some of the perennials making an appearance. I caught a glimpse of yellow the other day and nearly leaped for joy as I made my way over, thinking about all the flowers this could be, and I stopped short when I saw it was “just” a dandelion. I was disappointed for a few moments and then smiled. I am one of the few who actually likes these “weeds.”

I was at a meeting last fall and our instructor had us “break the ice” by introducing ourselves as a flower. Other attendees were so serious with their answers. I said I was a dandelion. Why a dandelion, she wanted to know.

I explained that not everyone likes me, I am stubborn, and I may show up in places where I may not be wanted. It’s a pretty accurate description and it did what I hoped; people laughed. I don’t think we need to be super serious at every meeting I attend.

Dandelions were brought to North America from Europe as a vegetable. The name dandelion is taken from the French word “dent de lion” meaning lion’s tooth, referring to the coarsely toothed leaves.

Up until the 1800s people would pull grass out of their lawns to make room for dandelions and other useful “weeds” like chickweed, malva and chamomile. They’re high in vitamins and the very young leaves can be used in salads and the flowers can be used to make wine. I read that the taproot can be ground up and used as a substitute for coffee. I will pass on that.

Many years ago, when my husband and I were newly married, he tried his skills making dandelion wine. It was fun to try. It wasn’t fun to drink. I don’t know if all dandelion wine is as awful as our batch, but I know I don’t want to try any ever again. With his rich Pennsylvania Dutch heritage, he also informed me that dandelion greens were good to eat. So I tried them. Even coated in bacon dressing, I was not a fan. I am not a fussy eater, but when it comes to eating all things “dandelion” count me out.

Dandelions are an important food source for many species of bees, particularly in early spring because they grow so soon. Butterflies and moths also feed on them as a source of sugar and some species of birds eat the seeds. Dandelions are rich in both pollen and nectar, providing a great source of food for pollinators. Each dandelion head contains around 100 individual flowers.

As it warms and I think about what to plant in my flower beds and I am choosing native plants and I am choosing those flowers that are attractive to the bees, butterflies and other insects rather than what appeals to me. I have learned that I should avoid planting too many “pompom-shaped” flowers. I am attracted to them but these plants put a lot of energy into petal production and not enough into producing nectar and pollen. An interesting fact is any plant with nectar and pollen parts that you can see without pulling back the petals means that pollinators can see - and use them - too.

The dandelion’s peak flowering time is from late March to May, when many bees and other pollinators emerge from hibernation and are hungry. Each flower in fact consists of up to 100 florets, each one packed with nectar and pollen. This early, easily available source of food is a lifesaver for pollinators in spring. Bumblebees, solitary bees and honeybees all visit dandelions for food, along with hoverflies, beetles and butterflies. Goldfinches and house sparrows eat the seeds too.

Dandelions belong to the daisy family and it is defined as not causing any type of threat ecologically, economically or to public health. One article I read claimed that dandelions are, quite possibly, the most successful plants that exist and are masters of survival worldwide. They actually help fertilize the soil and break up compacted soil with their long tap roots. By doing both of these things they are improving the soil for other plants to grow. The biggest complaint is that they spread easily when the seeds are carried off by the wind. One very simple solution is to remove the flower before it goes to seed rather than spray the offender with herbicides.

Herbicides used on lawns take a terrible toll on wildlife. More than 7 million wild birds are estimated to die annually due to the use of lawn pesticides. Thirty million acres of the United States are lawns, and an estimated 80 million pounds of pesticides are used on them annually. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service reports that “homeowners use up to 10 times more chemical pesticides per acre on their lawns than farmers use on crops.”

Instead of pesticides there are ways to have a dandelion-free lawn. When I was a kid, my Nana gave me a nickel for every dandelion I dug out of the lawn and then she let me spend my money on the ice cream truck when it came down the street. I am not sure what the going rate per dandelion is due to inflation but it’s a better solution than pesticides. Letting the grass grow 3 or 4 inches tall to shade out the dandelions is another idea. And the other option is to mow over the flowers before they go to seed to keep their numbers down.

I can’t resist blowing dandelion seed heads and making a wish. Should I apologize?

Jeannie Carl is a naturalist at the Carbon County Environmental Education Center in Summit Hill. The center rehabilitates injured animals and educates the public on a variety of wildlife found in the area. For information on the Carbon County Environmental Center, visit www.carboneec.org.