I didn’t know that naming my book “Pulling Up Dandelions” would lead to such a dandelion craze amongst my readers. I chose the title for my memoir thinking it would create some curiosity and hoped it might be an easy name to remember. The little yellow weed was mentioned a few different times in my book and now it’s become a thing!

I’ve received a truck load of texts with photos of dandelions, emails with poems about dandelions and even handwritten letters sent through snail mail to teach me more about the significance of the dandelion. It’s been quite the education.

Did you know there’s a national dandelion day? Yep. April 5th. It’s a holiday focused on the dandelion…weed or vegetable? I guess that’s in the eye of the beholder. When you look at a dandelion, what do you see? A flower, a vegetable, or a weed? Well, it’s all a matter of personal perspective. In the eyes of a child, dandelions produce beautiful flowers to bring home to mom. And, mothers think a dandelion is the most beautiful flower in the universe when her child presents them to her…Grandmother’s too. (My son sent me a photo of my grandson holding a dandelion bouquet…priceless!)

Here’s a little more I’ve learned from my friends:

  • The dandelion makes the only flower representing three celestial bodies during different phases of its life cycle – sun, moon, stars. The yellow flower of the plant resembles the sun, the dispersing seeds of the plant resemble stars, and the puff ball of dandelion plant resembles the moon.
  • The dandelion plant’s every part is useful – roots, leaves, flower. Its uses include dye for coloring, food, and medicine. (I had a friend make dandelion cupcakes for a book club I attend in honor of my book)
  • Dandelion seeds can be carried away to up to 5 miles from their place of origin.
  • The dandelion flower opens at the time of sunrise and closes at night. (I loved this!)

I received lots of poetry about dandelions too.  This one stuck with me.

   First Dandelion

       by Jem Croucher

First dandelion in the sun
yellow there and bright
and though it is a weed I know
it brings a lovely sight

So I’m not going to pull it up
but let it grow instead
to bring me joy and pleasure
with its lovely yellow head

And I’m really pleased I did that
for I think that it heard me
as next morning in the sunshine
the one had turned to three

And although the references to dandelions in my memoir were all about pulling them up from the root to get rid of them permanently, apparently there are more life lessons using the dandelion.

Dandelions encourage us to embrace change. Dandelions are adaptable and able to grow in a variety of environments. They can thrive in both sunny and shady areas and are even able to grow in nutrient-poor soil. We can learn from dandelions to embrace change and be adaptable, which can help us cope with life’s challenges.

I’ll never look at dandelions the same. I hope my readers feel the same. They will always be a reminder to me that permanent change CAN happen if you’re courageous enough to go down deep and pull those pretty little yellow flowers/weeds from the root.

Always encouraging you,

Letha