Other Names: Arslandiş, Radika, Wild Achmarul, Gelink, Partridge, Taraxacum officinalis, Compositae
Botanical Information: It belongs to the Compound family. It is a stemless plant. Its leaves grow directly from the root in the form of a rosette and spread to the surrounding area. The edges of its leaves are large or small, toothed or shaped like a wood saw’s edge. The leaf tips are spear or trowel shaped, the upper surface is dark green, the lower surface is light green and there is a main vein in the middle. Its flowers are approximately 10-40cm long, contain a yellowish-white milky liquid, and at the top is a flower consisting of 100-200 tongue-shaped yellow petals. After ripening, the flowers do not fall and disperse, on the contrary, they shrivel and gather and take the shape of a cone by being tightly wrapped by the cup leaves. Seeds that mature in the cone emerge when the cup leaves curl backwards, and behind each seed there is a 1-3 cm long stem and umbrella-shaped hairs on this stem. The ripened seeds are carried away by the hairs in windy weather, and thus it is possible to encounter Dandelion almost everywhere. Its roots are 10-20cm long, the thickness of a little finger, and it has side roots in the form of fringes, and it contains a milky white plant sap.
Known Composition: Vitamins, bitter substances, triterpene, sterol, carotin, flavone, tannin, minerals (lots of calcium), essential oils, inulin.
Places where it grows: It is specially grown in Italy and France and made into salads. This specially grown Dandelion is quite larger than the wild one. It is possible to grow it in almost every region of Turkey.
Properties: This plant, which was first used in folk medicine for eye infections and diseases and has strengthening, appetite stimulating, blood purifying, metabolism stimulating and diuretic properties, contains various alkaloids. It prevents scurvy due to the richness of vitamin C in its leaves.
Benefits:
It gives strength to the body.
It is diuretic and good for inflammation in the bladder.
It reduces kidney stones.
It relieves liver swelling.
It softens the chest and stops cough.
How to Use: After the roots are removed from the soil in March-April or August-September, they are washed, cut into several pieces and dried in a sunny and airy place. Take 2-3 teaspoons of the dried root pieces and heat them in 1 glass of water to boiling point. Turn the heat down and continue heating for another 15-20 minutes. Drink one glass of the decoction thus prepared two or three times a day.
The milk obtained by breaking its fresh shoots cleans the teeth.
WARNING: It is unsafe for pregnant women to use.
