We all know what dandelions are, right? They are the best example of a super easy to forage, edible and medicinal plant. I’ve written a post all about foraging for dandelions, but I didn’t say too much about foraging for dandelion root. They deserve a whole post on their own!
Wildcrafting Weeds
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Dandelion Root Foraging in the Fall
Did you know that fall is the best time of year for wildcrafting herbal medicinal roots?
All spring and summer long plants such as burdock, valerian, chicory, comfrey, and dandelion are growing long taproots. Once fall comes and the plants start to die back after a frost, that taproot stores all of the plant’s nutrition and medicinal potency.
These roots have a variety of different uses, mostly medicinal, but also culinary.
Today I am going to tell you all about how to go foraging for dandelion root, one of the easiest to find and most common of all the medicinal plants.
First, read my post on dandelion foraging so that you can learn more about this amazing plant and how to identify it.
Harvesting Dandelion Root
First, you have to actually get to the roots, which is no easy task.
There are usually quite a few dandelions still hanging around on our property in the fall, so I try to harvest a few of them each year.
There usually won’t be many flowers left once it starts getting cold, although ours were still blooming fairly recently. We live in a fairly warm climate, however.
It all depends on your climate, but it is still pretty easy to recognize them from their rosette of leaves (make dandelion pesto with those leaves).
Try harvesting dandelion roots that are growing in softer soil rather than compacted if possible, it will be much easier.
A garden shovel can help, or this awesome Hori Hori Garden Knife. A lot of it will be done with your hands so you may want to wear some garden gloves.
Many times I will only get part of the root, but that’s ok. That means that the dandelion will still come back next year!
How to Use Dandelion Root
Dandelion root has many health benefits, including being a tonic for the liver and a powerful antioxidant.
It also has a positive effect on the digestive system and contains several vitamins and trace minerals. It makes a nice tea or tincture, or even better, turn it into dandelion root bitters for digestion.
Once you get your foraged dandelion roots home, you will want to trim them up and rinse them well.
Slice the dandelion roots into smaller pieces for using them fresh in a tea, or dry them in a dehydrator or on an herb drying screen for later use.
Dandelion Root Recipes
You can roast the dried roots and use them to make a wonderful dandelion coffee, or try them in this roasted dandelion root chai.
You can even use them in handmade dandelion soap!
Here are some other great recipes for dandelion root:
- Roasted Dandelion Root Coffee Cake
- Dandelion Root Muffins
- Dandelion Root Infused Honey
- How to Make Dandelion Root Tea
- Dandelion Root Bitters
If you can’t find any dandelion roots to forage you can buy high quality organic dried dandelion root from Mountain Rose Herbs.
Dandelion really is the wonder plant in so many ways, and the root is no exception. Dandelion root is definitely an herb you should have on hand!
Years ago I was in the French countryside, and there was a large field of dandelions being grown on purpose! I later found out that it is eaten with bacon.
Cut the whole rosette off, rinse and dry and place on a plate, then cook bacon.and lay the hot bacon on the rosette, drizzling the bacon fat on as well.
The best time for this is when the little flower buds are just forming.
Enjoy!
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing!
I just pulled up some dandelion roots from my raised beds getting ready for winter. One is quite big (almost 12”] and has some white sap oozing from it in a few places. Is this sap ok or did I pull up something else?
Thank you.
Hi Tish, dandelion does exude a milky white sap that is bitter, so it sounds like you have the right thing (as long as you were sure they they are dandelions, you can see my post on foraging for dandelions to be sure)
I love dandelion root “coffee” and would love a garden full of dandelion!
Has anyone tried growing dandelion from seed? What would be a good variety to grow specifically for the roots? Thanks!
Hi Frances. I haven’t grown them from seed, (we have tons growing wild in our backyard) but I’m really curious about trying to grow pink dandelions!
I don’t know if weed killer or anything else was sprayed on the land that I bought a year ago. How long do I have to wait to harvest dandelion roots if there was spray? Or, can I never harvest if it was sprayed?
It’s hard to say exactly, since you’re not sure what kind of weed killer, if any, was sprayed. I would think a year is plenty of time for your soil to be herbicide-free, but you may want to do some research before foraging.
I have grown dandelions from seed I grew two varieties in Sa Francisco. One has blue flowers an looks completely different from the other which is a regular one
Heard that dandelions root is great for hypertension is this factual?
I live in Greece where dandelion leaves are eaten on a regular basis as salad with olive oil and lemon. Yes, doctors recommend dandelion to remedy blood pressure. It’s has diyretuc properties which make the leaves part of a dietary regimen.
Sue- the one that shoots way up in the fall with little yellow flowers is wild lettuce. A natural painkiller. Non addictive, no bad side effects opiate. U can either collect & dry collect the sap when it flowers, dry it, ball & smoke or dry leaves, stems ect & dry, crush or grind & capse entire plant. It can be taken as a tea, capsule, smoke or boiled down to a syrup. If u smoke more than 25grams u will be a bit loopy, but still pass a drug test. Its harmless, reduces anxiety over time.
Remember to leave some of the root so the plant can regrow next season.
I have made Dandelion jelly. Taste like honey.
Would you share the recipe? Plz
http://www.linnacresfarm.com/2014/05/dandelion-jelly-recipe.html
they got the full instructions here
Thanks for your beautiful post GFCF
Hi Colleen…I am reading your article with huge interest in making dandelion tea. As you already know, here on the OR coast, we have two or three species of dandelions. In my yard I have the broader, flatter leafed one and the more jagged leaved one which you are showing in your photos. I also have one where the flower shoots way up in the fall. Not sure that one is a dandelion, though. Anyway…which one do you recommend or does it matter?
I think it would be fun and healthy to try this.
I was wondering the same. Feom MI we had “traditional” dandys. But living in WA now, there seems to be more than 1, or look alikes!
Hi , there are two plants, Cat’s Ear and Dandelion, both in the Asteraceae Family. I do not know if Cat’s Ear root has medicinal properties. The fact that fresh dandelion root has treated my mare’s sluggish lymph system validate’s the medicinal value of the root.
Yes, it is likely to be cat’s ear, which is also edible and has some medicinal uses as well! Not quite as beneficial as dandelion, but still one to keep around :)
Hello Colleen and Noel, do you have any suggestions that can assist and help me please. I am 59 and have liver cancer. I went to have to have it removed but after they did scan just before the TASE they found 2 small suss ones so that was canceled and the next day I had chemotherapy injected. Main tumor srunk from 23 to 21 mm. They said see you in about 6 months. The main tumor has increased in size alot and progressed into the vein. They said there is nothing they can do and I have a few months left. I am taking Sheep sorrel tea mixture with 3 other herbs. Turmeric and ginger tea and some other herbs as tincture.
Thanking you in advance
Greg
Hi Greg, unfortunately I don’t know a whole lot about treating cancer naturally, but I know that there are resources out there. I will look around for you and send you an email if I find anything that might be helpful. Have you looked into CBD at all? There are some reports that it may help with cancer. In the meantime, I’m sending you my thoughts and hoping for a full recovery!
Greg, I noticed this was written in Sept 2017 and I do hope you are still with us. Please investigate Essiac Tea ad well as Chaga Mushroom extract. I am a breast cancer survivor and since I followed standard medical treatment (chemo, radiation and many surgeries) I swore I would do my best to live a more holistic life style. I have been doing what I can and trying things that are more natural and to be things that boost immune system and suppress free radicals. Not sure if it is working but I like the direction I have taken. God bless.
Hi Linda, I am also a breast cancer survivor and have decided never to take the surgery, chemo,radiation route again and to go the natural way. Besides many other things I have also started using Essiac tea and I have been wanting to try the dandelion tea. Like you, I am not sure if what I am doing is working but I am very comfortable with the route that I am taking. There are no after effects , I feel healthier than ever and am feeling very positive. I am doing the besr I can and whatever happens will be Gods will. Best of luck and God Bless.
sour sop research it .
Hi there, today my husband & I made
Dandelion Pesto, it was delicious. Used
English Walnuts instead of Pignolis. Ate
this on Farfelle Pasta. Thank You !!!
Kathryn Peters
Sounds wonderful!
Can I harvest dandilion root anytime..To try making bitters or won’t it work unless I harvest them in Fall?
Spring or fall is generally the best time for harvesting dandelion roots.
You can make anytime but fall harvested has more nutrients. Maybe make 2 batches a year.
I just learned that dandelions do not have branching stems. They only grow single heads on a single, hollow stem with no hairs. At least according to this entry on Taraxacum https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Taraxacum
Years ago I read to harvest dandelion roots in the spring for one purpose and in the fall for a different purpose. But I can’t remember what they were. Can anyone help me?
The leaves an flowers can be eaten in the spring when they are young and not bitter as they are later in the year.
Are there other things U do with leaves & blooms besides said?
Dandelion flowers for dandelion infused oils or salves in the spring roots in the fall
Your post came at the perfect time. I’ve thought a few times about going to get some dandelion root but, being a beginner, wasn’t quite sure if fall was the right time. And now I know! I’ll be digging up a few. I do love dandelion root tea!!
Thanks for the information. I didn’t get to try dandelion yet. I’ll have to remember to bring something to dig with when I go look for it so I can use the root as well. I was actually thinking about growing it in my garden next year. We’ll see.
I had not thought about growing it. good idea.
Me too! Did you try it yet? I’d love to know how it went. I’m looking for a good variety to grow specifically for harvesting the roots