Botanist Karst Meijer is urging the public to reconsider removing dandelions, calling the widespread perception of the plant as a weed both inaccurate and harmful to biodiversity. Speaking during the annual Dandelion Day event, Meijer emphasized that dandelions serve as a vital early-season food source for insects, particularly bees and moths.
According to Meijer, research in the Netherlands shows that 107 out of 339 studied bee species have been observed visiting dandelion flowers. He also noted the plant supports specialized organisms, including the dandelion mite, a gall wasp, and a bee species entirely dependent on the plant for survival.
Meijer criticized routine lawn and street maintenance practices that involve early mowing, which often eliminates early bloomers like dandelions and daisies before they can contribute to pollinator nutrition. He cited an example from his hometown of Westerveld, where mowing on March 23 resulted in the loss of significant early nectar sources.
As owner of the private Herbarium Frisicum museum, Meijer has spent years studying overlooked plant species. He pointed out that while dandelions have historically been underrepresented in herbarium collections, over 200 species are currently recognized in the Netherlands, with the potential for more to be identified through further research.
For the past six years, Meijer has co-organized Dandelion Day with Erik van den Ham, held each year on the last Sunday of April. The event aims to raise awareness about the ecological value of dandelions and encourage greater tolerance for the plant in urban and suburban landscapes.
Meijer acknowledged that some individuals remove dandelions when they become inconvenient but advocated for restraint and greater attention to biodiversity. He also condemned the apply of dandelion imagery on herbicide packaging, describing it as misleading and symptomatic of the unjust stigma surrounding the plant.
His message remains clear: allow these resilient and ecologically valuable flowers space to grow, especially during early spring when they play a critical role in supporting insect populations.
