Did you know National Dandelion Day is April 5th? Did you know Vineland is the dandelion capital of the U.S.?

Dandelions
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Growing up I loved dandelions. They're a pretty yellow color and it was fun to blow the seeds. Those little puff balls are just so cool. While we look at dandelions as weeds there are people who appreciate those pesky yellow flowers. In honor of National Dandelion Day here are 6 fun facts about the popular weed.

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    1

    Vineland is the dandelion capital of the U.S..

    Can you imagine people actually farm dandelions? Yes, it's true! Vineland was once the dandelion capital of America. There are still farmers that grow the flowers. While I can't find it online, I remember in my Pine Barrens class in college we were told that NJ was the largest export of dandelions.

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    2

    They're edible!

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    3

    They can be used in rubber.

    Who knew these plants were so versatile? Researchers were looking for an eco-friendly alternative to the rubber tree and stumbled upon dandelions. They use Russian dandelions which produces natural rubber.

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    4

    Dandelions are considered a beneficial weed.

    This sounds like an oxymoron I know, but it's true. By definition a beneficial weed is edible, helps with soil help, or is a companion plant. We already know they're edible, but dandelions actually help your garden. The plant has a deep tap root that draws water up from deep down in the soil. Of course this helps with plants that have shallow roots. That roots also brings up nutrients. Pretty cool right?

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    5

    Its name means lion's tooth.

    To me, this just sounds epic. The word dandelion comes from the French diente de lion. Say it out loud with a French accent you'll hear it.

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    6

    Crayola retired the dandelion crayon.

    Last week Crayola announced the retirement of the dandelion crayon, right before National Dandelion Day. You would have thought they would wait for the holiday before they got rid of the yellow color. In May they will be announcing a new crayon, a blue shade.

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