Dandelion

Dandelions have a long season and as a result edible parts can be found all year round. The plant goes through various life stages throughout the year with flowers blooming in the early spring.

Season:

Look:

Dandelions are one of the more common plants on this list and definitely one widely recognised in the UK. In flowering season they have a large yellow head made up of lots of tiny thin petals, that grows off a long hollow tube like stem. The leaves grow at the base of the plant and are long, serrated and grow in rounds. The seed heads, though not directly edible are widely recogised as the big fluffy domes surrounding the bud.

Habitat:

Another versatile one, dandelions can take root anywhere, they thrive equally in grassy meadows, wastelands, hedgerows and woodlands.

Edibility:

A dandelion has many edible parts. The leaves make a great addition to a salad or garnish to a dish but have a bitter quality to them. The flowers make a great infusion, tea or wine and when high in pollen they have a honey like flavour when infused. One of the more interesting edible parts of the flower is possibly the root. The root once roasted has a very deep, flavour and is often used as a coffee substitute. It is often boiled up and drunk straight like coffee but makes a great flavour for the kitchen larder.