"raycruzer" wrote:

wrote:
RAIt's true that any plant can be a weed, but the reverse is also true,
RAthat we can redeem our weeds if we identify their value.

I understand the much dispised dandylion is not native to
north america; it was brought here by some of our anglo-saxon
ancestors who felt it had medicinal attributes (I had an
uncle who made an interesting wine from it 8-).

The dandelion was also accepted as a potherb centuries back. Although
largely rejected in home gardens, today the dandelion is known to be
good forage on the ranges, and is especially relished by sheep and
cattle.

Actually there is no THE dandelion, but it is a genus with many species
and some are native to the USA.

What we usually call dandelion is the Common Dandelion (Taraxacum
officinale). It was valued as a medicinal plant and cultivated, so its
true source is not obvious except to say the northern Hemishere, and
more specifically, EUrasia. Many attribute it to the UK.

Other dandelion species include:

Taraxacum albidum - the white-flowering dandelion is found in Japan and
Korea.

Taraxacum bessarabicum - in found in Southeastern Europe.

Taraxacum brassicaefolium - mustard-leaved dandelion is found in East
Asia.

Taraxacum californicum - California dandelion is native to California
and an endangered species.

Taraxacum carneocoloratum - fleshy dandelion is native to Alaska

Taraxacum eriophorum - woolbearing dandelion is native in the Western US.

Taraxacum erythropodium - is found in Eastern Asia.

Taraxacum formosanum - is found in Taiwan.

Taraxacum heterolepis - is found in Manchuria.

Taraxacum hondoense - is found in Japan

Taraxacum hybernum - is found in Italy and Balkans.

Taraxacum japonicum - is a Japanese dandelion

Taraxacum kok-saghyz - rubber dandelion; Russian dandelion

Taraxacum laevigatum (syn. T. erythrospermum), Red-seeded dandelion or
rock dandelion is found in the UK.

Taraxacum lyratum - harp dandelion is native to the Western US.

Taraxacum magellanicum - is found in Southern South America and New
Zealand.

Taraxacum megalorrhizon - is found in Southern Europe.

Taraxacum mongolicum - is found in China.

Taraxacum obovatum - is found in the Mediterranean regions.

Taraxacum palustre - narrow-leaved marsh dandelion is native to the UK.

Taraxacum phymatocarpum - northern dandelion is native to Alaska.

Taraxacum platycarpum - is found in Central Japan.

Taraxacum sinicum - is found in East Asia.

Taraxacum spectabile - showy dandelion or red-veined dandelion.

Taraxacum tibeticum - is found in Tibet.

Taraxacum variegatum - is found in East Asia.

======
A weed is just a plant in the wrong place, so any plant can be a weed.
Invasive plants are more often considered weeds.
--
Pardon my spam deterrent; send email to
Visit my Rhododendron and Azalea web pages at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhody.html
Also visit the Rhododendron and Azalea Bookstore at:
http://home.earthlink.net/~rhodyman/rhodybooks.html
Cheers, Steve Henning in Reading, PA USA Zone 6