How many dandelions are in the world

They tend to grow more in areas laden with sunlight rather than under trees or shady spots. The plant can be found more commonly in disturbed areas such as an avalanche site, a burned forest and marshlands to name a few and anywhere from sea level to high alpine elevations. Site and Date of Introduction: Dandelions have spread throughout the northern hemisphere for so long that it is difficult to determine their nonnative status.

It has been noted however, that the Puritans found dandelions to be so useful that they brought them to settle in the new county. Mode s of Introduction: Throughout history, dandelions have been purposely carried across oceans and continents by human beings.

European settlers brought these plants intentionally to America. Ships that came ashore to the New World undoubtedly brought soil and seeds along including the seeds of dandelions.

While the plant spread discretely in a pant cuff or in a boot sole, it was also an invited species. Reason s Why it has Become Established: There are many various reasons why the dandelion has become established. The most intended purposes of the dandelion was for medicine, food and wine. In the 17 th century when dandelions were brought to the New World , they were mainly used by the Puritans as a source of medicine.

Dandelion was not valued as a food commodity but instead as hosting a variety of health benefits. As the men toiled the land, the women would garden. Though they did not understand why, the leaf, root and flower were believed to have significant results in alleviating ailments. Dandelion was also cultivated because it was a plant they were familiar with and could trust in this foreign land. Thus, the woman planted dandelion seeds for its medicinal benefits and to spread a flower that reminded them of home.

The dandelion species is not easy to contain. Its results found that dandelion root and leaf could help lower cholesterol in animals on a high-cholesterol diet. Another study in mice found that dandelion consumption reduced total cholesterol and levels of fat in the liver. The researchers concluded that dandelion might one day help treat obesity-related nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. However, testing on humans is necessary to help determine how effective dandelion could be for lowering cholesterol.

There is some evidence to suggest that dandelions contain compounds that may help with regulating blood sugar. However, further research is required to make any definitive claims. Some studies indicate that dandelion extracts and compounds may help reduce inflammation in the body. In one study , researchers found that chemicals present in dandelions had some positive effects on reducing inflammatory responses. They conducted the study in cells and not in human participants, which means that more studies are necessary to conclude that dandelion reduces inflammation in the human body.

There is little research to support the use of dandelion for lowering blood pressure. However, dandelions are a good source of potassium.

There is clinical evidence that shows that potassium can help reduce blood pressure. For example, research has found that people taking a potassium supplement saw a reduction in their blood pressure, especially if they already had high blood pressure.

Some researchers have proposed that dandelion could help people achieve their weight loss goals. A small study of mice found that chlorogenic acid, a chemical present in dandelions, may help reduce weight gain and lipid retention.

Strong evidence to support this claim is lacking, however. Some limited, but positive, research has indicated that dandelion may help reduce the growth of certain types of cancer. One study examining cancer growth in a test tube determined that dandelion extract may help reduce the growth of liver cancer.

However, as with other potential benefits, more research is required to show how effective dandelions can be as part of cancer treatment. Researchers have found that dandelions show both antiviral and antibacterial properties.

Dandelions were world-famous for their beauty. They were a common and beloved garden flower in Europe, and the subject of many poems. In the terrifying New World, the cheerful face of the dandelion was a sweet reminder of home.

In Japan for instance, whole horticultural societies formed to enjoy the beauty of dandelions and to develop exciting new varieties for gardeners. Dandelions are a green and growing first aid kit. The use of dandelions in the healing arts goes so far back that tracing its history is like trying to catch a dandelion seed as it floats over the grass.

In olden times, dandelions were also prescribed for every ailment, from warts to the plague. To this day, herbalists hail the dandelion as the perfect plant medicine: It is a gentle diuretic that provides nutrients and helps the digestive system function at peak efficiency. Dandelions are more nutritious than most of the vegetables in your garden. They were named after lions because their lion-toothed leaves healed so many ailments, great and small: baldness, dandruff, toothache, sores, fevers, rotting gums, weakness, lethargy and depression.

In eras when vitamin pills were unknown, vitamin deficiencies killed millions. Data from the U. Department of Agriculture reveal how dandelions probably helped alleviate many ailments: They have more vitamin A than spinach, more vitamin C than tomatoes, and are a powerhouse of iron, calcium and potassium. Dandelions are good for your lawn. Their wide-spreading roots loosen hard-packed soil, aerate the earth and help reduce erosion. Dandelion plants thrive on soils rich in nitrogen and potassium.

It prefers soils low in calcium or where there is poor decay of organic matter. Also, dandelion does not grow well on soils high in phosphorus. Tillage: Uprooting, chopping, and then burying the dandelion taproots will control the weed. This is why dandelions are seldom a problem in tilled cropping systems. Tillage must be deep enough to cut the root 4" below the crown and the soil surface.

Rotary hoeing and cultivation: Both rotary hoeing and cultivation control seedling dandelions, but have little effect on those that are established. Crop rotation: Dandelion captures space easily, so it can establish in alfalfa and other crops.