Early dandelion bloom brings a lot of pleasant sensations to all nature lovers. Children weave beautiful spring wreaths from it, and adults have heard about the beneficial properties of the yellow-headed flower for a long time.
Dandelion pleases with yellow inflorescences from May-June to the very end of summer. A simple flower is beautiful and useful. In folk medicine, all parts of the plant are used: flowers, leaves with stems and roots.
Photonastia is a natural feature of plants
The plant opens an inflorescence at 5-6 o'clock in the morning with the first rays of the sun. And it closes by 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The reason for this phenomenon was photonastia - the ability of plants to move petals depending on solar activity.
The flower petals begin to open with the first rays of the sun. After lunch, when the luminary begins to decline, the heat-loving dandelion squeezes the bud until the next morning.
Inflorescences also respond to air humidity. Before the rain, the plants carefully cover the flowers, because moisture can mold thin petals. And then the bees will not be able to pollinate the bright inflorescences.
When a dandelion turns white and downy, it also retains the ability to move. In order to fly under the influence of the wind, its seeds must be dry.
Snowdrops, water lilies, tulips and many other flowers also have the ability to thermonastia and photonastia. Adapting to changes in the external environment, they have gone through a serious evolutionary selection.
Why dandelion is good for you
Wild herbs are very beneficial, high in vitamins and iron. Dandelion leaves and stems contain vitamins B, C and A. They are also rich in zinc, magnesium, phosphorus and potassium.
Dandelion leaf salads are slightly bitter, but their iron content is unmatched by any store-bought vegetable. Delicious and nutritious jam is made from the flowers of the plant.
Tea made from dandelion roots and leaves has a beneficial effect on the kidneys and hematopoiesis, and at the same time does not wash out other useful substances from the body. It is recommended for people with diabetes.
It is worth remembering that you need to collect dandelion leaves before flowering, so they retain a maximum of vitamins and minerals. Dandelion should be harvested away from industrial zones, roads and urban areas.
The plant can accumulate lead, and instead of benefit, an illiterate health lover risks getting poisoned. If you are going to eat medicinal decoctions or dandelion salad, you need to read the literature on folk healing, as well as take into account the opinion of naturopaths and herbalists, their recipes are the safest.
