Dandelion

Somewhere along the line, the two distinct plants named at the top of this page both became “dandelion” in the market. Wild dandelion (Taraxacum officinale), a native of Europe and Asia, now settled throughout the temperate zone, has been used for food and medicine since ancient times. Given the geographical range of wild dandelion, it is odd that the culinary side has been developed almost exclusively in the Mediterranean. From that area comes the common name dandelion, through Latin to French, dent-de-lion (lion’s tooth), arguably due to the leaf’s sometimes saw-toothed appearance.