It's Weed Appreciation Day: reasons why weeds are good for you

It's National Weed Appreciation Day! But before you light a match, we're just going to be blunt: weeds are just plants!

They may show up in undesirable places, but they also have a place in the health, science and culinary worlds.

Wildlife, like birds and insects, sometimes depend on weed seeds for nourishment.

Native Americans often used dandelions to cure certain ailments. They have large amounts of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, and fiber and can even be used to make tea and wine.

Dollarweed, also known as pennywort, is an aquatic plant that can be used in salads.

Pigweed, or amaranth, can be harvested as a leafy vegetable, and its high-protein seeds can be cooked just like quinoa. Its root is a white, alkaline vegetable that is high in vitamins and minerals.

Some of the most common weeds are yarrow, crabgrass, carpetweed and ivy.