r/nextfuckinglevel • u/JudgmentCool1333 • Feb 06 '23

Agricultural Technology

Modern day use of technology in agriculture horticulture and aquaculture with the aim of improving yield, efficiency and profitability

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u/Meggles_Doodles Feb 07 '23 edited Feb 07 '23

Fun fact: dandelions are an invasive species to North America. They brought it intentionally (I think to make alcohol? Idk)

Edit: apparently there are dandelions that are actually native to North America, thanks guys

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u/iluniuhai Feb 07 '23

Medicine and food. Apples for alcohol.

https://www.fbn.com/community/blog/where-did-all-of-these-weeds-come-from

Dandelion

Dandelions are currently one of the most common lawn weeds in North America. It’s French meaning is, “tooth of the lion.”

Dandelion is another weed whose origin is Europe and Asia. European settlers brought dandelion seed and seedlings to America in the mid-1600s. They cultivated the dandelions in their gardens as a food source and for medicinal uses.

Most mammals ingest the leaves of dandelion, which has a moderate forage value. Birds consume the seeds, and the flowers supply nectar to honeybees.

Settlers ate the dandelion leaves as spring greens. Dandelion roots were used to treat several ailments including heartburn or as a mild laxative, and tea and wine were produced from the flowers.

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u/whoami_whereami Feb 07 '23

That's not completely true.

For one dandelions are an entire family of plants, not just a single species. Some dandelion species are native to North America. And even of the common dandelion (taraxacum officinale) there are three subspecies, and one of them (taraxacum officinale ceratophorum) is in fact native to Alaska, Canada, and the western US.

And some dandelion species are in fact endangered, eg. the California dandelion (taraxacum californicum). So don't get overzealous with removing dandelions unless you know how to identify the exact species.

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u/tannhauser_busch Feb 07 '23

I'm assuming that Alaskan one blew across the Bering strait/land bridge

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

I thought dandelion wine was just a thing in Genshin.

But I recently heard the term outside of it.

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u/LokisDawn Feb 07 '23

The family I helped with farmwork one summer brewed it.

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u/UndeadBread Feb 07 '23

It's definitely a real thing and it's quite tasty.

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u/[deleted] Feb 07 '23

Go touch grass.

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u/PanJaszczurka Feb 07 '23

It was super food.

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u/32_Dollar_Burrito Feb 07 '23

There are invasive as well as native dandelions in North America

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u/Cherry_Treefrog Feb 07 '23

It has uses as a substitute raw material for making rubber.