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Arrowleaf Balsamroot
The Arrowleaf Balsamroot (Balsamorhiza macrophylla) is a
member of the sunflower family (Compositae). It is very showy,
in clumps to two and a half feet high. It blooms in May with golden yellow
flowers four inches across, often coloring dry hillsides a golden yellow.
The arrow shaped leaves have stalks up to twelve inches long and six inches
wide, and are covered with silvery gray hairs. Usually a solitary flower
head terminates a leafless stalk of 8 to 24 inches. It is a perennial herb
with a thick tap root that has a clear viscous sap with characteristic odor.
It begins to bloom when the aspens start to leaf out, and continues until
about July. Elk and deer graze the young plants. The bighorn sheep are fond
of both leaves and flowers. Horses prefer the flower heads. The balsamroot
is an important forage for stock, and survives heavy grazing. Indians ate
the young sprouts, large roots and seeds, either raw or cooked. Flower heads
are up to four inches across, and have both yellow ray and disk flowers.
Dixie Rose, in her book "Utah's Intermountain Wildflowers", says:
"Often called the Mountain Sunflower, Balsamroot is loved by birds, and
widely admired for the way it glorifies our foothills from April to June.
The large leaves are arrow shaped and downy. The roots smell and taste
like balsam. Like most Composite Family members, it has two kinds of
blossoms, yellow ray flowers and golden disk flowers."
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