Dandelion has a long tap root and many who have tried to weed it out of gardens or flower beds will be familiar with how difficult it is to get the whole root out of the ground. When dried, dandelion root has been used to make coffee substitutes. Dandelion leaves can be eaten raw, in salads.

Dandelion root and leaves have also been used for centuries in healthcare. The Arabian physicians extolled the virtues of dandelion as early as the tenth and eleventh centuries and in the 13th century the Welsh recognised its beneficial properties.