Botanists have long claimed the dandelion was first brought to this country from the old world, as Europeans valued it for its medicinal and food properties. However, the evidence is contrary. Many indigenous people here say that the dandelion has been a part of their oral histories prior to the Mayflower. Archeologists say the Inca and Aztec cultures used dandelions for food and medicine 600 years before the Spanish arrived. By the way, our neighbors in Carbondale have named the dandelion their town flower. They have gathered every spring for a day filled with entertainment, crafts, lectures, seed and plant swaps all in the name of the noble dandelion.
Growing Home: Dandelion
