Magical Uses For Dandelion

4 ways to work this plant into your witchcraft

Cuala Press Prints, scan from Trinity College Dublin

I have lost my smile,
but don't worry.
The dandelion has it.
- Shared by Thich Nhat Hanh

The bane of homeowners across the nation, I’ve always found an affinity for the simple dandelion. Whether it’s sprouting from the cracks in pavement or waving at passersby on the grass beside a highway, dandelions are everywhere you look. Especially during the trying times we live in, the dandelion can be a potent symbol and plant ally for your craft. 

Pop Culture Connotations

The dandelion in modern America is considered a weed first and foremost. Many homeowners have no issue with spritzing their lawns with hosts of chemicals to try and eradicate the dandelion and its ilk. This makes the common flower an easy symbol for resistance and persistence despite so many being against you especially if you belong to increasingly legislatively marginalized groups.

Opposite to the negative feelings of adults, the puffball form of the flower is also associated with wishes made by children. I can’t find an academic source of the origin of this tradition, but as I child I remember gathering up dandelions, making a wish, blowing the seeds, then watching with wonder as they floated away in the wind. The dandelion then can also act as a reminder to not only dream but to remember to take action to make your dreams happen in the world.

Magical Associations

Dandelion is classically associated with Jupiter and the element of air. The image of the seeds dancing through the breeze makes the association with the element air easy to make.

The lovely image in the introduction to the post features a poem to Saint Brigid who is deeply syncretized with the goddess Brigid. Brigid’s primary sabbat is Imbolc, making a tie in with dandelions sensible as they are some of the first plants blooming in spring. White liquid also pours fourth from the stems when snapped, reminiscent of milk, another symbol of Imbolc as the holiday of the ewe’s milk.

In my craft, I associate the dandelion with Hekate. The bright flowers of the plant are a reminder of the goddess in her celestial form honored by Zeus amongst the heavens while the roots digging stubbornly into the ground remind of her chthonic aspects. With roots that can go up to 15 feet deep, dandelions reach deep toward the underworld.

Working with Dandelions

Before gathering dandelions or any plant, I recommend taking a moment to meditate with the plant first. As best your senses allow, try and figure out whether the plant wishes to be harvested at this time. If not, respect its wishes and move along. If so, go ahead with the dandelion harvesting respectfully, leaving enough plants behind for animals such as bees to eat especially when winter is warming into spring and food is scarce.

With that out of the way, here are some of the ways I’ve worked with dandelions over the years to try as you get to know the spirit of this plant.

• Cyanotype paper – Sold in the US under the brand name of Sun Art, cyanotype paper is a great way to capture the beauty of ephemeral things such as flowers. Try capturing the image of both the flower in its golden form along with the puffball phase. You can paste these pages into your book of shadows or grimoire for reference or to capture the energy of a particular sabbat or fortuitous astrological timing. They can also be marked with sigils or symbols to suit your spell crafting needs.

• Bath – Gather up fresh dandelions and let their heads and cleaned roots float in your next cleansing bath. You can relax with the plants, asking to absorb whichever part of their associations you wish to have at this time.

• Blowing the flowers – Recapture child-like wonder and blow dandelions the next time you see a puffball on a walk. Take the time to think about what you want and make a wish before utilizing the element of air in your lungs to exhale that wish into becoming with the help of the plant.

• Flower crowns – Since dandelions are often plentiful, gather up as many of you need to make a floral crown. Weaving instructions are easily found in diagrams online. You may wish to soak the crown in water for a bit to get rid of any stray insects as the last time I did this I ended up with a surprise group of ants in my hair!

I sincerely hope that today’s post has been useful for some ways to get the know the humble dandelion. Let me know if you have any other favorite activities or associations.