This is a lovely patch of Arrowleaf Balsamroot that grew this summer. Although it is resting now, the vibrant plant blooms all over the valley here in Wyoming.
The flowers are 3-5 inches wide and are part of the sunflower family.
The leaves are velvety, sometimes up to a foot long, and has a silvery grey tinge to it from the velvety hairs.
The root is useful for immune stimulation and a good first line of defense in times illness wants to creep in.
The root can be harvested in spring or fall and made into a tincture for expectorant, immune system boost, and it is also anti microbial.
Blends well with mullein when expectoration is needed and also fireweed for a dry throat. Those are plants that grow here in Teton Valley, anyway.
It grows in dry soils that are not rich in organic matter and is so lovely to look upon.
I am looking forward to working more with this plant next year when she wakes up from her cold weather nap:)
2 comments:
this was my first year workiing with Balsam root and I loved the all the edible possibilities. We ate the shoots in the spring and all summer my husband harvested seeds. I never did get the root to be that edible though.
I am hoping to tincture some root this weekend.
I had no idea it grew in WY - thanks for the post.
That is awesome Rosalee. I will try some of it's eats next spring:)
Post a Comment