Flowering beautiful weed in Sweden (Taraxacum)

We have a big field beside our garden with awesome flowering right now. It is a weed here but so beautiful.
We have also beekeeping for the first time and the bee loves the flower to.

Close up

near

and I'm in love with their seed pods, :-)

Yes Gent, they also very lovely.

Here is another pic of an mutation three flower in one steam, look the fat steam

Sylvia

close up branch (not steam) it shall of course be "fat branch" above

Hobbyoldaren, I was just wondering if Swedes spend alot of money to get rid of these like Americans do. I tried to convince my husband that we should eat the greens in our salads and saute them with garlic and oil, but he won't hear of it. We do, however, buy the French Dandylions at the grocery store. Seems silly, doesn't it, since they're the same thing.

Hej Pam
no I dont spend money, I love the flowers, but take away them from my flowerbeds.

In the grass they dont bother me, and since you can see on the picture above, we have a lot beside our garden in the field, so I had to have all the worlds riches if I should try to get rid of them.

I have never try to eat them, but we did wine one time, of the flowers, a very very good wine I can say.

that sounds very interesting hobbyodlaren! Never heard of making wine from dandelion flowers!

Yes it be a very good wine. Maskrosvin=(Dandelionwine in Swedish), yes you make it on the flowers. I have been forbidden to do in Sweden now, because it be very strong wine, and count almost like alcohol making.

May I ask how it is made ? :-)
I might try it out!

I only have recept on Swedish, but search for Dandelionwine on googles there is a lot.
You shall pick the flower early in the morning, but not to early because all bugs and other insect which sleep in the flowers, shall have left them.
But early because the most flavour is in the morning in the flowers. Good Luck

I found the recepies but don't think I'll try it. I don't have the patience nor the equipement needed! But thanks any way!

You may know that all parts of the plant are edible, leaves, flowers and roots. Flowers may be used for wine as you say you have done (haven't had it myself for many years, but remember it as being more like vodka), petals can be strewn in salads, of course leaves when young can be used in salads or for a medicinal tea. Later they get too tough and very bitter, but can still be sauteed or boiled or steamed. Most people here just think of them as weeds and ignore them. I think the Italians and the French use them most liberally, but perhaps even there they are not used as much any more. Hobbyodlaren, it sounds like you are not allowed to make wine in Sweden. There are many home winemakers and beer brewers here. I forget how many gallons may be legally made or brewed at home. We've tried both, but were more successful with the beer. My grandfather used to make root beer, but he has been gone for many years.

Hi Pam
we are allowed to make wine of fruit, but not things like grain, corn, potatio, Dandelion because it be to strong and that is not allowed then it is more like alcohol and that is not allowed to make.
About eating it, the flowerleafs are beautiful in a sallat and if you cover the young leafbow it be white and more loose. I dont think Swedes use them so much, they more hate them as weed. I think they are very beautiful and think they are a natural element in our nature. I have only made wine one time in my life. I remeber it more like brandylike wine.
But our bee like the dandelion a lot.

I'm glad to hear that the bees like them. Our bees here in the US, which are imported European honeybees, are disappearing in massive numbers each year. It's a mystery why, but farmers and orchardists and even our government are worried. In past years I've seen bees all over the dandelions and buttercups, but there don't seem to be as many this Spring. I enjoyed your picture.

Hi Pam that is alarming, we here in Sweden have heard about this problem in US really. It perhaps is an new diseace for bees.
We have start our beekeeping this year it is amazing, we only have one beehive still, but hope to have at least 2 kind to the autumn.
We have light Italian bees, the are very kind bees. The Nordic bees are very angry kinds.

Close up of our light Italian bees.

They are very pretty bees!

Indeed, they are pretty bees. Your bees must have a lovely life. Do you have fruit trees and berries and flowers? When I think of Sweden, it's a thought of fjords, brilliant blue skies, long summer days, and beautiful gardens.

Thanks bonitin.
Yes Pam, we have a garden with 3.000 square metre. We have apple, pear, cherry, plum and a lot of berrie-bush to, many many flowering trees and flowers in the garden.
And because of all fruit and berries we start with beekeeping this year, to get much fruits and berries.
Many think about Sweden like that, the fjords and mountain, that is up north. I live in the south of Sweden with no fjords or mountains. And neither so much snow and winter cold . :o)

Oh, yes I see Zone 5b.

I still blanch one dandelion plant in the spring. Since they are one of the first wild plants around it's easy to identify the leaves. I place a heavy pot over the entire plant and then place a brick on top. they're great added to salad.
:-)) Rosie

I am interested in the bee problem here in the US and was this thread. I live in portland, Oregon and have noticed a few bees in my garden. I plan to use more plants that attract bees soon. However, this problem is not limited to the US - in some areas of China the farmers are hand-pollinating cherry blossoms because of this problem. It is a very serious situation with consequences world-wide. Bee keeping is a very good thing!
I spent a month in Sweden, in Jarna, doing research at the Vidarkliniken and I remember huge fields of these lovely yellow flowers. I didn't realize at the time that I could eat them!

Hello Portland
Yes Bee keeping is good, we have now two bee-village I think it will be 4 next summer. I think the farmers around us like it too.
We have got more seeds and fruits this summer for sure.

If you take the flowerleaf it is very beautiful in salad. The leaf shall be young, in the spring other wise they are bitter.

Did you like it in Sweden. You were in Järna far north from me, I live more in the south of Sweden.
Take care
Sylvia

The French call dandelions "pissenlit", and the old English name was "piss-a-bed". They have quite a strong diuretic effect; so be careful if you use them in salads not to overdo it!

Wow - I will be sure not to eat too many dandelion leaves. How funny!

Hobbyodlaren - I liked Jarna and Stockholm very much and would like to see more of Sweden. I have promised myself that I will return someday.

My tomato plants are huge this year and have lots of tomatoes. They are just beginning to turn red! Do you plant vegetables?

OMG, Dandilions. We consider them weeds in the USA. (LOL) So glad you like them.

Yes Buttoneer, so do we, it´s a difficult weed, but so usual so it dos´nt matter. In every field, every garden you can get be without them, so it´s better to like them, and they are beautiful in his sunlustre.
And my Bees love it.

In Pennsylvania, where I live, dandilion wine is made & dandilion greens are used in salads. These are old Pennsylvania Dutch habits.

hi hobbyodlaren... i too love dandelions.....
so much so i grew pink ones last year see pic...
i've also heard of a white flowered form too

colin

and here's another shot:
taraxacum psuedoroseum

Hi Colin
I´ve got 10 seeds to white taraxacum this autumn, I have sow 5, but nothing have sprout. I save the other 5 to the spring, If I success with seeds and got plants, perhaps we can make a trade pink against white.
They are so beauty.
Sylvia

hi sylvia... yes no problems i'd love to try the white.... i think i have a few seeds left of the pink... but i know they prefer to be sown fresh, so i don't know if they'll sprout... i'll find them out and send you a dmail 'cos i'm sure your a better home for them than my seed box :-)
colin

white dandelion (Taraxacum sp.)... thanks Sylvia... :-))

Gorgeous Colin. I have no success neither with white or pink dandelion. Only have 1 plant each and they are not looking well.
Congratulation for a beautiful flower
Sylvia

Hi Sylvia... i'm very sorry to hera that... i have some of the pink growing but not in flower... i will send you the seeds from the white one as soon as they form...

Hi Colin, thanks but no thanks. Dont bother to send seeds. I don´t waste more time to try grow them. I have try two times without success, perhaps they dont like it in my garden. :o))))

Hi,
I thought you might enjoy this picture of a 'lawn' I took earlier this year.

This year, I have with success grow pink dandelion.