Balsamorhiza saggittata
Arrowleaf Balsamroot

Family: Asteraceae (Sunflower family)

Photo taken at Leavenworth Ski Hill, open wooded area, flowering late April-May

Flowers:

Involucre generally wooly tomentose; ray and disk flowers yellow; outer phyllaries 10-20 mm by 4-9 mm wide

Leaves:

20-50 cm, deltoid or sagittate, entire; upper surface or blades soft hairy, lower surface short tomentose to finely strigose; cauline leaves generally small and inconspicuous

Plant:

perennial; 20-60 cm tall. Traditionally the seeds roasted, ground and eaten by the Nez Perce, Okanagan-Coville, Okanagan, and Thompson. Young shoots were peeled and eaten raw or baked by the Nez Perce, Okanagan-Coville, Okanagan, Sanpoil, and Thompson. Roots were cooked and eaten by the Okanagan, Shuswap, and Thompson.

Habitat:

lowland to mid-elevations in mountains

Distribution of species:

widespread east Cascades

Distribution of genus:

more or less 12 species: Western North America