If, as the
title says, these grew on foreign shores, you’d see packs of their seeds
alongside packs of lupin seeds and night-scented stock.
They’re one of the earlier British wildflowers to bloom each spring and a vital source of nectar for pollinators. Their glorious flowers are overlooked and derided, but just look at their colour! Their seedheads are wondrous in their own right when you look at them closely - and the 'clock' game has amused generations of children. So does the threat that they will make them wet their beds.
At the other end of the plant, the tap roots that make them difficult to uproot completely have traditionally been fermented along with the roots of burdock to make a soft drink (a soda, if you're on the other side of the pond).
Their leaves are beloved of rabbit owners - but the whole plant is edible and has been a traditional ingredient in a number of national cuisines. Their leaves are what gives them their English name; they resemble lions' teeth - dents de lion in French.
Gentles all, may I present one of my favourite wildflowers, the Dandelion?
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