Unusual Uses for Dandelions

While the dandelion may have come into disrepute in the modern era, it has long been a faithful companion to man with a wide variety of applications. Dandelion foliage is one of the early floral harbingers of spring, and its nutrient rich leaves were welcomed sights for centuries of common men after making it through a winter's poor diet. While many of us are aware of the culinary and the herbal uses of dandelions, most people haven't heard of the more unusual applications for this cheerful and modest plant. The milky white sap residing in the leaves of the dandelions after their initial bloom is a latex that can be used as a form of natural water protection and a source of cheap rubber, while the fluffy white seed ball is a surprisingly effective fire accelerant.

Water Resistance

Perhaps the least common application of dandelions is the application of the plant's milky white sap to clothes and leather in order to serve as a makeshift form of water resistance. Each dandelion plant contains only a modest amount of the latex, so treating an entire garment in this manner may be a time consuming process. Also, the substance remains problematically sticky until it has dried completely. However, if left without civilized resources or modern textiles for an extended amount of time, this unique use for dandelions may come in handy.

Dandelion Rubber

This same white latex of late season dandelions can be used to create a form of low grade rubber from home. When gathered in sufficient quantities, the gooey latex can be formed and dried into a stretchable rubber band or a bouncing ball, as pointed out on an article regarding using dandelions in a scientific setting. While this application of dandelions may prove unrealistic for real world applications, it can be used as an excellent educational device for students young and old. Research is ongoing in the attempt to find a profitable application of the rubber for industrial purposes.

Fire Accelerant

The white seed heads of dandelions can be used as a form of first stage timber when building and igniting a fire. This is an example of teaching young outdoor enthusiasts of the utility of thinking outside the box when building a fire from scratch in the wild. While the live plant may be live and green, the fluffy white seed heeds are quite dry and ready to burn. However, they burn longer that one might suspect once ignited and are an effective building block to constructing a fire under frustrating conditions.

Sources:

http://www.scienceprojectideas.co.uk/make-rubber-band-from-dandelion.html
http://groups.google.com/group/diybio/browse_thread/thread/111657a3d4f200fe?pli=1
http://www.practicalsurvivor.com/node/9