You likely see them everywhere right now, dotting the lawn with their stubborn yellow heads, but dandelions have a surprisingly dignified backstory. The name actually comes from the French phrase 'dent de lion,' meaning 'lion's tooth,' a reference to the jagged shape of the plant's leaves. Long before they were considered a nuisance by suburban lawn enthusiasts, these plants were brought to North America by European colonists on purpose, valued for their medicinal and culinary properties. In fact, every single part of the dandelion is edible, from the root all the way to the flower, making it perhaps the most useful 'weed' you'll step over all season.