{"title":"Dandelion","description":"\u003cp\u003eDandelions (\u003cem\u003eTaraxacum spp.\u003c\/em\u003e) are quotidian and culturally misunderstood features of modern society. Having felt both these ways at times in my life (as imagine many people also have), I became curious about them. I had friends who taught me about the healing power of the roots and the edibility of the foliage. I recall finding one in New York growing out of a metal signpost of a busy traffic interchange; it was actually thriving there. That kind of became my totem when I lived there: this plant, so strong and thriving in the unlikeliest of places.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c!-- more --\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI helped a friend dig out the fall roots out of her back yard. We cleaned them meticulously with a toothbrush and we hung them upside down to dry on a clothesline; she left the foliage on, which she said aided in the medicinal potency of the plant roots.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA couple years later I was thumbing through the pages of James Green’s \u003cem\u003eThe Male Herbal\u003c\/em\u003e. One of his central hypotheses as an herbalist concerns the expurgation of the bitter flavor – so prevalent in plants such as dandelion – from Western diets has wreaked havoc upon reproductive organ and immune systems:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"padding-left: 30px;\"\u003eThe mistake of eliminating the bitter flavor from our daily experience is as harmony disrupting as eliminating one of the colors from the light spectrum… It’s my opinion that the habit developed throughout our lifetime of avoiding bitter-flavored foods and herbs has created a chronic dysfunction in our lives and organs of digestion, assimilation, and excretion, eliciting secondary hormone imbalances (32).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eI'd long grown the true or common dandelion (\u003cem\u003eTaraxacum officinale\u003c\/em\u003e; not to be confused with \u003cem\u003eCichorium intybus\u003c\/em\u003e, “Italian” dandelion, or chicory) and naturally became curious if there were other species of this plant. I've since discovered three: Rubber Dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz), Pink Dandelion, and White Dandelion (Taraxacum albidum).\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e-Quin Shakra\u003c\/p\u003e","products":[{"product_id":"russian-dandelion-kazakh-dandelion-rubber-root-taraxacum-kok-saghyz-seeds","title":"Russian Dandelion\/Kazakh Dandelion\/Rubber Root (Taraxacum kok-saghyz)","description":"\u003cp\u003eAnother rare dandelion that we‚Äôve taken under our wing. Rubber Root, alternately known as Russian or Kazakh Dandelion (\u003ci\u003eTaraxacum kok-saghyz\u003c\/i\u003e) is a perennial dandelion with origins in the Kazakhstan \/ Uzbekistan regions. The plants are smaller than Taraxacum officinale and Taraxacum albidum (two other varieties we offer in our catalog), with thicker and a paler greens. Their graceful small yellow flowers are still recognizably dandelion.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis dandelion species has a cultural history that dates back to Stalinist Soviet Russia, where scientists first discovered the latex content contained in the plant roots could be used to produce natural rubber. Contemporary plant breeders have rediscovered the plant with the ultimate aim of breeding improved plants that can provide a commercially viable alternative to both natural (most commonly produced from Hevea brasiliensis or rubber tree) and synthetic rubbers. Today, Ford Motor Company and Ohio State University are presently conducting joint research with the aim of commercializing it to replace synthetic car parts such as cupholders and interior trim. Researchers in Europe have already produced prototype dandelion car tires.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eWe offer \u003cem\u003eTaraxacum kok-saghyz\u003c\/em\u003e seeds to our customers primarily as dandelion enthusiasts who understand that dandelions play an important ecological on diversified small scale farms like ours. In our Mediterranean climate we start seeds indoors\/in a greenhouse in mid-winter, and grow the plants to the their first few true leaves prior to transplanting in early spring. We‚Äôve planted them in the mid summer, and while they survived, it seemed like the plants generally weren‚Äôt as vital.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e60 days to flower from transplant. \u003ci\u003ePerennial.\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Good Seed","offers":[{"title":"Packet: 50 seeds (0.025 gram), OG","offer_id":45006023196924,"sku":"DAN004OGP","price":5.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/4602\/products\/russian_dandelion_rubber_root-05.jpg?v=1520539119"},{"product_id":"white-dandelion-seeds-taraxacum-albidum","title":"White Dandelion (Taraxacum albidum)","description":"\u003cp\u003eThis dandelion species (\u003cem\u003eTaraxacum albidium\u003c\/em\u003e) is native to Southern Japan, and resembles the \u003ca href=\"http:\/\/www.agtoseeds.com\/products\/non-gmo-certified-organic-true-dandelion-seeds\" title=\"Common \/ True Dandelion\"\u003e\"Common\" dandelion\u003c\/a\u003e feature-for-feature save for the creamy white blossom where in place of the yellow one. A must-have for the dandelion geek, but also imminently practical. We harvested the greens for our farm's community agriculture shares and dried the remaining foliage to use for tea at the end of the season. The roots flavor and taste (bitter!) seems indistinguishable from \u003cem\u003eTaraxacum officinale.\u003c\/em\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Good Seed","offers":[{"title":"Packet: 25 seeds (0.03 gram)","offer_id":45006022902012,"sku":"DAN003UP","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/4602\/products\/fullsizeoutput_1624.jpeg?v=1556411685"},{"product_id":"pink-dandelion-seeds-taraxacum-pseudoroseum","title":"Pink Dandelion (Taraxacum pseudoroseum)","description":"\u003cp\u003eYes, this is a pink flowered dandelion. Pink Dandelions (commonly identified as the species \u003ci\u003eTaraxacum pseudoroseum\u003c\/i\u003e, “an imperfectly known taxon,” see \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/link.springer.com\/article\/10.1007\/BF02853517#citeas\"\u003e“The genus Taraxacum in the Caucasus,”\u003c\/a\u003e by Jan Kirschner and Jan Štěpánek) are \u003ci\u003eperennial\u003c\/i\u003e and similar in leaf shape, root, and stature to the Common Dandelion \u003cem\u003e(Taraxacum officinale\u003c\/em\u003e). The most substantial and striking difference for any dandelion enthusiast will be the color of the flower: undeniably pastel pink with the classic yellow core. This was developed from seed saving that Quin did at Mano Farm in 2016, and now being introduced into the catalog with limited availability, hopefully improving as the season goes on.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e40-60 days from seed to flower in spring growing conditions. \u003cem\u003ePerennial\u003c\/em\u003e. Hardy to zones 3 and above.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e \u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Good Seed","offers":[{"title":"Packet: 25 seeds (0.03 gram)","offer_id":45006005600508,"sku":"DAN002UP","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/4602\/products\/pink_dandelion_-_3.jpg?v=1597585988"},{"product_id":"true-common-wild-dandelion-seeds-taraxacum-officinale","title":"True (Common\/Wild) Dandelion","description":"\u003cp\u003eWhile True (or Common) Dandelion (\u003cem\u003eTaraxacum officinale\u003c\/em\u003e) is widely understood as an invasive weed and spreads readily through its iconic puff ball seed heads we all use to send our wishes. However, its benefits far outweigh its propensity to reproduce. Its early flowering period makes it one of the earliest seasonal sources of pollen for beneficial insects. Dandelion's bitter leaves and roots are completely edible and rich in vitamins and minerals. While “Italian” Dandelion or Chicory are more commonly used in salads and stir fries, baby True Dandelion leaves work just as well. The lush yellow flowers are also used to make homemade wines.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDandelion is a perennial plant that produces harvestable leaf material 40-50 days from seeding and ideal root material from 90 days onward.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Plant Good Seed","offers":[{"title":"Packet: 50 seeds (0.03 gram)","offer_id":45005996196092,"sku":"DAN001UP","price":4.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false},{"title":"BULK: 600 seeds (1 gram)","offer_id":46339318186236,"sku":"DAN001UB1","price":14.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/4602\/files\/dandelion_common_true_-_6.jpg?v=1723564775"}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0083\/4602\/collections\/dandelion_shopify_collection_v3.jpg?v=1595690270","url":"https:\/\/www.plantgoodseed.com\/collections\/dandelion-seeds-rare-varieties-non-gmo-certified-organic\/dandelion.oembed","provider":"The Plant Good Seed Company","version":"1.0","type":"link"}