Arrowleaf balsamroot (Balsamorhiza sagittata) is a herbaceous perennial in the Asteraceae family.

• Balsamroot is a long-lived perennial with showy flowers.
• It forms a long taproot and has a woody base.
• Stems with short wooly hairs grow 20 – 75 cm.
• The basal leaves are silver/grey and triangle-shaped.   Fine wooly hairs cover the underside of the leaves.    The leaves green with age.
• Higher leaves on the stem are linear, smaller, and oval-shaped.
• Involucre bracts are obvious as the flower develops.   They are lanceolate, wooly and long.
• Large yellow ray-and-disk flowers are often solitary on stems, but more than one can also occur.
• Balsamroot starts to bloom in May and lasts through much of June.
• Balsamroot is pollinated by a wide variety of insects.
• Some images are shared here, all taken by the author.    Click an image for a lightbox (larger) view.

Neskonlith Meadows - April

balsamroot

Kamloops Lake trek

balsamroot

balsam root

balsam root

• All parts of the plant are edible and has been used by First Nations for a long time.
• Grazing animals and rodents feed on balsamroot.
• After flowering the petals drop off and achenes develop.
• As the summer months pass, the leaves wither and the stems die back.
• Balsamroot can be found in the grasslands, open glades, and valley slopes in our area.

More Information:

• Wildflowers
• Arrowleaf balsamroot (USDA)