Hypochaeris radicata vs Taraxacum officinale
Cat’s ear is one of the weeds everyone always thinks is dandelion. Remember, cat’s ear is pimpled and always has hairs on it, the stem is long, woody, thin and branching, with multiple flowers heads per stem. Whereas true dandelion will always have smooth leaves, the stem will be singular and hollow, and may be reddish near the base, and will only have one yellow flower head per stem. The seed heads for both plants are similar. Both plants are edible, all parts. Cat’s ear is often tough, stringy and very bitter, I don’t usually bother with it unless there is little else around, and usually I just use small amounts in pesto or stews. Dandelion, on the other hand, like nettle, is a true powerhouse of nutrients. It likes rich soils and has a massively deep tap root from which it will regrow if the smallest part is left behind. It’s a rich nectar source for bees and one of the first flowers to come out in the spring. All parts of the dandelion are edible, the leaves use as you would nettle, with similar nutrient properties. The root can be tinctured for effective kidney medicine, or dried and roasted as a pleasant coffee replacement. The flowers can be battered or thrown into salads.
